Marlboro Lights
by Cassy-Kay
Summary: I was in trouble. I realized that Seth was not just some boy who would disappear in a few days. He was in this for the long haul…well at least he was in this while he thought I was a Perfect Forks Girl. I wondered how quickly he would ditch me when he found out I wasn't. Probably immediately. SethxOC
1. Chapter 1

**I have always loved to write. And, while I go through phases where I write more than others, I like having something to work on at all times. I started writing this in 2015 which is crazy to think about but I am finally almost done with it and decided now was the time to post. This story is separate from the other two worlds I have created on here and is a stand alone as of now. Enjoy~**

* * *

Living in a trailer had always been temporary. It was something my mom said often. _"Oh baby girl, I'm going to get this job and we're going to move somewhere real nice and we won't live in a trailer anymore!"_ She'd say it so enthusiastically and like she honestly believed it, that I had believed it. But I was eighteen now. Today to be specific. And we had been living in a dump of a trailer park since before I could remember. I was destined to be trapped in a trailer park for the rest of my life. Eighteen years wasn't temporary and as I sat on one of the rickety lawn chairs that had been put in front of the stained kitchen table in our trailer, I realized that this was where I would always be.

Maybe I wouldn't be here specifically, maybe I would be in a different town's trailer park, but it would still be a trailer park. A trailer park with druggies and people who drank too much. A trailer park where there was always a dog barking or glass breaking or someone screaming. A trailer park where I wouldn't even have a real kitchen table with chairs. Living in a trailer had never been temporary.

And it was my _birthday_.

I didn't allow myself to feel self-pity often but I felt like I deserved it today. It was my eighteenth birthday and I was by myself in this dumpy trailer park in No-Where-Forks, Washington. All I had to show for it was a three pack of mini, possibly expired cupcakes from the gas station where I worked and a large candle placed next to them that I used for light most nights to cut back on the electric bill. It wasn't the same as having a birthday candle inside of a cake, but it was the closest I could manage. _It would still have the same affect, right? I'd still get a birthday wish, right? _I'd hoped so.

_I wish…_

_I wish for…_

_I wish I was…_

_I wish I had…_

But I didn't have anything to wish for and now I just felt silly. Silly and down $1.03 for buying the stupid cupcakes. This large candle sitting next to the stupid cupcakes on this disgusting table just made me feel sad.

I didn't _deserve_ a birthday wish.

Because all I'd ever be was that girl in the trailer park.

So I just sat there for a long time, long after the candle had burned itself out.

* * *

I wasn't dumb. I had figured out how things worked two moves ago. I hadn't had any friends until I was fifteen. I figured out that people didn't like the girl who looked like her mom didn't take care of her. The girl with the ill-fitting clothes, with the messy hair, and who didn't show up to school with a lunch. No one wanted to be anywhere near that girl, but they wanted to talk about her. Two moves ago I figured that out. We'd been in Idaho and I had been getting off the bus at the trailer park there and one of the boys a year older than me called "smell you later" as I walked past him. The shame and horror I had felt had been instantaneous. I had gone back to the little trailer with the leaky shower head and cried for hours.

For the record, I didn't smell. I was so careful to make sure I didn't smell. I showered twice a day and made sure my clothes were always clean because I was the type of girl people expected to smell. It was just that no one had ever taken me for a haircut and so I had long hair that tended to tangle easily. I didn't know that there was hair products you could use or that blow dryers existed. My mom had never taught me to comb out my hair when I got out of the shower to keep it from knotting or that you needed conditioner to use after you shampooed. And, although I knew everyone else's clothes were nicer than mine, I didn't realize that just because my jeans were a tad too short and my shirt a tad too tight, that I looked like a smelly girl from a trailer park.

We had moved two weeks after that to a town on the eastern side of Washington and in those two weeks before I started at a new school, I had remade myself. I took the money I had always hid from my mother and went to a local hair salon. I got my hair cut, still keeping it long but shaping it nicely and getting any dead ends chopped off. I had bought a blowdryer and two-in-one straighter and curler from goodwill. I bought myself a brush (not from goodwill, from a Walmart) along with a cheap smoothing product that would keep my hair shiny and frizz-free. I learned to scavenge at goodwill, savers, and other second hand stores, to find clothes that would fit me properly. I bought makeup. A black eyeliner I could smudge out smokey around my eyes and a clumpy mascara that would open my eyes up.

I learned that I could register for a state-provided lunch. That part made me mad. For years I had been going to school, sometimes with a granola bar or pack of peanut butter crackers, and sometimes with nothing, and my mom could have signed me up to receive a sandwich, apple, and bottle of water _every single day_.

When I had showed up to my first day of school in Walla Walla, Washington, people had acted differently. Girls had shot me jealous looks but had wanted to be my friend and boys had followed me around, hanging on my every word. I was overwhelmed with the attention and the fact that people were talking to me and it wasn't always an insult. It didn't take long for the girls to label me a slut (which I wasn't) and start talking behind my back, but those first few weeks had been glorious. And being called a slut from a trailer park was better than being called smelly or homely.

My mom and I had moved to Forks, Washington a year and a half ago to a different trailer park. I liked Forks. My mom complained about the rain and was still saying that she was going to get that waitress job her latest boyfriend had promised her but I had made a real friend. Sarah Adams was the most popular girl at Forks High School and not because she was a cheerleader, or slept around, or was really pretty. Sure, she was all of those things, but she was also the nicest person you'd ever meet. And she had chosen me on that first day I had walked into Anatomy as a junior. I had looked great that day. I had still gotten on the school bus at the trailer park but I had a new pair (goodwill) of dark denim jeans that fit me perfectly, a plain black v-neck shirt that showed just enough cleavage, and white sneakers I had scrubbed to make them look like they were brand new. My hair had been long and glossy and I had perfected using eyeliner and mascara.

Sarah had been talking to Veronica, another cheerleader and popular girl at Forks High School, not as nice as Sarah. I don't remember what anyone else in the classroom had been doing but I had noticed Sarah immediately. She had turned away from Veronica, her hair not quite as long and glossy as mine, and had made eye contact with me.

"Go sit next to Lily." Sarah had told Veronica.

"What?" She had asked, confused as to what had changed in the last thirty seconds.

"Go sit next to Lily." Sarah had repeated, authoritatively and slowly like she was talking to someone stupid. It would have been incredibly rude if she hadn't paused, added a big smile and said, "Please."

Veronica had gotten up and moved one row back to sit next to Lily, shrugging. Sarah had continued to stare at me and casually patted the desk next to her, as if she had known I would be coming and had saved the seat for me all along. The anatomy teacher finished signing my attendance sheet and had handed it back to me, saying I could choose any seat I wanted. I walked up to Sarah, sat down next to her, and she smiled.

Sarah had chosen me. She didn't care that I lived in a trailer park. She was the only popular girl I'd ever met who didn't have to worry about being popular. She didn't seem to realize that the other girls in her group were constantly worried they were going to do the wrong thing and be shunned or embarrassed. It didn't matter what Sarah did, she would always be on that pedestal. And she didn't even realize it. She had smiled a perfectly straight, white smile at me.

"And what's your name?" She had asked, flipping her blonde hair behind her shoulder.

"Emma." I had answered, offering her an equally straight and white smile back, though I had suspected hers had more to do with braces and mine had more to do with genetics.

"Emma." She had repeated. "It is_ so_ nice to meet you."

* * *

"Happy birthday, Emma!" Sarah all but shrieks, rushing up to my locker. My birthday had technically been yesterday but on Sunday's Sarah had cheer practice all afternoon and her squad then went to the little bowling ally downtown and ate pizza. Sarah and I never hung out on Sundays. She would ask me if I wanted to come most weekends and I would say no. She never pressed. It wasn't the money. I had money that I could spend to rent a pair of shoes and buy a piece of pizza. It was just that the other girls didn't like me. They didn't like the attention Sarah or the guys at our school gave me. While Sarah saw me as a friend, they saw me as trailer trash. It was fine. I understood and I gave them space to be just with Sarah on Sundays.

Sarah had offered more than once to cancel her usual Sunday plans for my birthday but I had declined her offer. I had picked up an extra shift at work which she would have been mad about and I had made some excuse about my mom wanting to have dinner with me which was a lie considering I hadn't seen her in days.

I was convinced our friendship worked because I had never asked Sarah for anything. I had never once complained about anything and I had never asked her for even the smallest thing like a hug or a ride to the grocery store. Sarah gave and gave and gave to me but I never asked. And I wasn't about to ask her to change her planned day to accommodate me and my birthday.

Sarah thrusts a card and small box into my hands.

"Sarah…" I sigh. I had told her I didn't want anything for my birthday.

"Oh shut up, you bitch! Open it and tell me you love it and me!" She was grinning and exuding her carefree happiness that got everyone to smile with her and love her. I pull the lid off the box, fighting a smile. "Don't you love it? I got myself the same one!" She sticks her wrist in my face before I even have a chance to fully see what is in the box.

"Thank you." I laugh, pulling the silver bracelet out of the box and slipping it on. _Ride or Die_ was engraved in loopy cursive along the top.

"Because you're my ride or die." She explains, taking it from me and snapping the clasp around my wrist. I open the card. It was a standard birthday greeting you'd find at any convenience store. The words _'Happy birthday, Bitch! Love, Sarah'_ are printed neatly on the inside.

"Thanks." I repeat, shoving the box into my locker but taking care to put the card in the back of one of my notebooks so it won't get bent. I grab my English book from the second shelf and kick the door shut. She loops her arm through mine and drags us towards our first class.

And, not for the first time, I wonder when Sarah would stop giving and giving and giving. I wonder when she would realize that even though I wasn't asking for anything, I didn't have anything to give her back.

* * *

"Hi, Hun!" My mom calls, walking down the cement blocks arranged as steps in front of our little trailer. I have just gotten off the school bus and am heading towards her. She is holding her only purse — a knock off of some designer that had been a gift from a boyfriend a few moves ago — in one hand and a case of beer in the other. I almost didn't recognize her. Her hair is a fiery red that can only be described as Little Mermaid. I hadn't seen her in almost a week and it had been a bleach blond with dark brown roots when she had left. "Happy birthday!" She awkwardly wraps her arms around me in a hug while still managing to keep hold of her bag and the beer. "Sorry I wasn't around yesterday, you know how it is." She shrugs like I do know how it is but I really, truly don't.

"Where are you going?" I ask, eyeing the gruff man leaning against a pickup truck at the end of our dirt 'driveway'. He is smoking a cigarette, seeming to not have a care in the world but I don't miss the way his eyes look me up and down, assessing.

"Trevor is takin' me on a vacation!" She explains excitedly. We had lived down south for most of my childhood and my mother had never quite been able to shake that accent. While I watched myself to make sure it didn't slip out on certain words, she embraced it, saying it made her one of a kind in the northwestern part of the country. It really just made her sound uneducated when she left out key words in sentences, but I let her think what she wanted to. "We're going to go to the casino in Snoqualmie!" She squeals, sounding like a teenager whose crush has just asked her to the movies.

"That's an awful long way away, Mama." I start, cringing as the name 'mama' comes out of my mouth. People in Washington did not call their mothers 'mama'. She shoots me a look as if wounded by the idea I am not happy for her.

"Well that's selfish of you, Emma Mae." She starts towards the truck. Trevor opens the passenger door for her and lets her toss her bag in before grabbing the case of beer. He pulls out a can and pops it open, taking a big gulp and shoving the rest of the case on the ground of the passenger seat. "And after I left you a birthday present on the table." She turns away from the truck and crosses her arms accusatory. The only thing that manages to do is push up her boobs and show even more of her stomach. Trevor takes another gulp of his beer and shamelessly stares down her shirt. She looks good for a mom. She has an okay figure and she should considering she is only thirty-four but, unlike me, she doesn't care to buy clothes that fit her properly. Her jeans are two sizes too small and her t-shirt is low cut and shows off more stomach than anyone with an eighteen year old daughter should.

"I'm sorry. Thank you, Mom." I swallow the lump in my throat. "Have fun." Her anger melts away instantly and she flashes me a smile that is actually really pretty.

"I'll see you real soon, baby girl!" She calls, jumping into the cab and letting Trevor shut the door behind her. He throws his now empty beer can on the ground before walking to the other side of the truck. It makes a sputtering sound as he starts it but rumbles away before long.

Mom never even looks back.

* * *

"You sure you wouldn't rather be with your friends?" I ask Sarah as she peels away from the trailer park, going fifty miles per hour in what is clearly marked a ten miles per hour zone.

"Oh please!" She rolls her eyes. "You _are _my friend and, besides, they were boring me. You never bore me." She turns to me, flashing that Sarah smile that makes girls fight to be her friend and teachers give her those two extra points she is always arguing for.

Sarah liked to do this. She would show up randomly and beep the horn outside the trailer to pick me up. We would drive somewhere or nowhere and she would have a hot chocolate waiting for me or a warm cookie. I knew what she was doing. She was getting me out of the trailer park and giving me a little while to feel like her but I couldn't find it in me to be mad.

She always beeped.

In the year and half we had been friends, she had never once come inside the trailer or even stepped out of her car into the disgrace of a yard we had.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"I'm going to take the one-oh-one west until we reach the coast." She declares. "The cup without the lipstick mark is for you." I grab one of the styrofoam cups out of the center counsel.

"Thanks." I sigh, the heat from the cup warming my fingers. The heater had broken again in the trailer. "So we're going to La Push then." I summarize.

"Well it doesn't sound nearly as exciting when you say it in that tone." She pouts, using her turn signal to get on the highway.

"We're going to La Push!" I shriek, flinging the hand that isn't holding the hot chocolate into the air.

"Woo!" She echos, laughing at my over the top excitement. It normally is a twenty-five minute drive to La Push but with Sarah's unnecessary speeding, we reach it in just over fifteen minutes. She pulls into the First Beach parking lot and yanks the car into park, jumping out. "Come on!" She calls, already running towards the beach. I abandon the rest of my hot chocolate in the cup holder and chase after her.

It is actually freezing out here. It is October and while the temperature is still in the high fifties during the day, it is in the thirties at night. I only own one jacket and it isn't very warm but I pull the sleeves over my fingers to try to preserve some of the warmth from inside Sarah's car. Sarah has stopped part way across the beach and is now looking at the waves. In the distance I can see a bonfire going and hear the laughter of a group of people.

"Let's move right here. To this very spot and build a house." Sarah exclaims, grabbing my arm when I am close enough. "Right here in the middle of this beach and we can watch the waves every morning. We can go get waitress jobs at that diner down the road and you won't have to go back to that trailer and I won't have to talk to anyone in high school ever again." My breath catches in my throat.

Sarah and I are from two different worlds. She would be going to college next Fall. She had been accepted to everywhere she applied but had chosen Washington State. I hadn't even applied anywhere. I knew I didn't have the money. I was saving everything I could from my job at the gas station and lying to my mother about how much I made but I was still paying for most of the rent, electric, and water bills monthly. It was very rare my mother bought me food so I was paying for that too. And soon my state provided lunches and treats that Sarah brought me would be gone and I'd be spending even more money. Applications weren't cheap either. I didn't have fifty dollars to spend to apply to a school I might not get into and that I could't afford to go to anyways.

I unzip my jacket and toss it on the ground, kicking off my socks and shoes behind it and reach for the hem of my shirt.

"What are you doing?" Sarah shrieks.

"Being not boring." I smirk at her, stripping the rest of my clothes off and running towards the water. I hear her coming after me only seconds later. We both shriek and laugh at the freezing water.

"Omigod, omigod, omigod!" Sarah chants over and over again. "Emma, you are crazy!" We stumble out of the water, shaking and teeth chattering, but laughing. I pull my underwear back on and my sports bra over my head. Sarah is just pulling her t-shirt over her head when I noticed two figures walking towards us in the dark light. I grab my tank top and pulled it over my head just as they step closer.

"What are you girls doing?" The first guy greets. "Do you know how cold it is and how dangerous those waves can be?" The second guy hangs back, staring at his feet.

"Hi!" Sarah greets, as if the guy had said it was nice to meet us, not practically yelled at us for going in the water. She squeezes some of the water out of her hair. "Isn't it beautiful out here?" The second guy snaps his head up to give her a quizzical look and then glances to me. He is beautiful. Both of the men in front of us are beautiful but the second guys features are still soft, not hard like the first guy's.

"We were being not boring." I explain as though it is the most obvious thing in the world. I pick my sweat pants up and pulled them on, not really feeling much of a difference.

"Do you want to come warm up in front of the fire?" The second guy asks in a rush. He is staring at _me_, asking _me_.

"Well only if I can sit in your lap." Sarah says, buttoning her jeans and scooping up her expensive and warm North Face jacket.

"Oh well I—" The mystery guy starts, eyes flickering between the two of us.

"We should just go back to your car." I interrupt, picking up my own cheap and less warm jacket, pulling it on, but Sarah has already grabbed her uggs and socks and is making her way towards the bonfire. The first guy looks towards Sarah, then to the second guy, then to me.

"Well, shit." He says matter-of-factly before following Sarah back towards the group. The second guy and I just stare at each other.

"I'm Seth." He explains.

"Okay." I nod, scooping up my socks and shoes and following Sarah. Not because I necessarily want to, but because I don't really have a choice. The guy falls into step next to me.

"That was Sam, don't worry about him, he just gets nervous about people drowning. He's like an honorary police officer but he doesn't mean any harm by it." Seth explains.

"Okay." I respond, feeling in a daze. Or maybe I am just in shock from the cold.

"Um…" He trails off. "Do I get to know your name?"

"Oh, well, I'm Emma." I explain, reaching the group. I realize there are more people here than I originally thought from a distance. I scan them all, realizing I don't know or recognize any of them and breathe out in relief. I like being a nobody in a group. I like just being the girl with the hair or the long legs or Emma instead of worrying that everyone is thinking I am just the girl from the trailer park. Sarah has already squished herself between two boys who are eager for her attention.

"I'm Collin." One of them is saying, already hanging on every word out of Sarah's mouth. I do my best to hold back a smile. Sarah created followers and friends everywhere she went without even meaning to. I sit down across from her in a free space and Seth quickly sits down next to me. I start pulling on my socks over my sandy feet, hoping to warm them up.

"Emma, stop pouting." Sarah scolds from across the fire.

"I am _not_—" I start to defend myself.

"You're sitting next to a very hot guy, _smile_!" She chides.

"You look too much like an Abercrombie and Fitch model for my liking." I assure Seth, pulling my hair away from my face and into a pony tail. He looks absolutely crushed for a second and I bump him with my arm to let him know I am only kidding. He does look like an Abercrombie and Fitch model but that doesn't mean I don't think he is totally gorgeous. All the guys sitting around this bonfire are gorgeous and the girls equally as pretty. They are all definitely locals.

"Do you all sit out here every night and yell at girls for skinny dipping?" Sarah muses, leaning closer to the fire to warm her hands. The one Seth had explained was Sam is scowling at her.

"These waters are very dangerous and you two obviously aren't locals so how are we to know if you are strong enough swimmers. You could also get—" Sam doesn't seem to realize she has already forgotten him and has turned back to talk to her new friends.

"Sarah doesn't understand authority figures." I explain to Seth. "If that is what you guys are, that is."

"Sam and Jake are authority figures I guess. They like to boss the rest of us around, especially Jake. He thinks it's funny." He rolls his eyes as if I should understand what that means. "That's Jake." He points to a guy sitting a few guys down. He is staring right at me, assessing me. I sit up a little straighter under his gaze and he offers me a smile.

"Where are you guys from?" Jake asks, directing the question to me.

"Los Angeles." Sarah buts in. "We're up here visiting. We're actually going to be starring in a reality show coming out soon: _Two Sisters, One Ocean to Skinny Dip In_." She sounds so genuine.

"Is she for real?" Seth mutters, leaning closer to me.

"No!" I laugh. "We're seniors at Forks High School." He grins at me. "It's a game she likes to play. She makes up a dramatic story and sees how many people will follow along with it."

"Does it usually work?" He asks.

"Look at her and tell me." I say, nodding my head in Sarah's direction where she's talking animatedly about our times in LA. While the other guys are kind of smirking like they know what I've said to Seth, they are still listening to the story she is is slowly weaving with just the right amount of details.

I understand what Sarah means when she says her other friends bore her. It's not that she doesn't like spending time with them or that they're not friendly to her. It's that they're _too_ friendly, they are too happy to please her, and while they may follow her around, they don't take charge in situations. If Sarah had ripped off her clothes to go skinny dipping, they would have followed, no questions asked, but they never would have gone in first. They would have been too afraid she wouldn't have followed. While I focus my life around Sarah in my own way, I don't need her to make my choices and I'm not afraid to lead.

* * *

"Can I uh…have your number?" Seth asks, smiling at me with a perfect smile.

"Oh, um, no." I answer, shrugging and turning to head over to Sarah where she is standing next to the drivers side of the car. My heart aches.

"Give him mine!" She hollers.

"Well that's really nice, but I actually wanted Emma's." He says, scratching the back of his neck.

"Emma doesn't have a phone." She explains. "You can reach her from mine."

"Oh, okay." He says, still grinning at me with that hopeful smile. My cheeks flush and I hope he can't see or thinks it is just from the cold. I hope he isn't thinking _wow this is girl is too poor to have a cell phone_ and is just thinking _maybe she broke it _or _her parents are probably super strict_. "Can I have _Sarah's_ number? You know, incase I find a new location for your skinny dipping reality show."

"Well when you put it that way how can I say no." I smile, telling him the only phone number I have memorized as he puts it in his phone. On impulse I reach out and trail my finger tips down his right forearm, feeling electricity.

"Bye, Emma." He calls as I rush to Sarah's car.

"I told you things were never boring with you." She breathes out, starting the car and letting the heat blow strongly on us. "That boy is so hot, it's not fair."

"You seemed pretty content with the boys on your side of the fire." I accuse, feeling irrationally protective of Seth and our banter.

"Oh, I was!" She promises, backing out of the little parking lot. "I mean that you both are too beautiful. It's not fair. Beautiful people shouldn't be allowed to be together, it just makes all us average folk feel bad." I laugh, taking a sip of my now cold hot chocolate.

"Please, you are not 'average folk' and, 'sides I'll probably never see him again." I decide, shrugging.

"What! Why not?" She gasps, pulling back on the 110, this time going east. "He was _so_ into you."

"Guys that look like that aren't interested in girls who live in trailer parks." I explain. "And if they are, they only call at 2:00 am."

"Shut up." Sarah scoffs, "He was very much so interested in you and I'll bet he calls tomorrow to ask you out."

"Whatever." I mumble, not wanting to start an argument with Sarah. Yeah, maybe he would call tomorrow but he wouldn't call if he knew where I lived. Not everyone was like Sarah. In fact, I was positive Sarah was one of a kind.

* * *

**I've been working on this story a lot in the past few months and I am finally ready to start posting it. I would love to get some feedback and find out what you guys are liking/not liking as it may affect how I edit future chapters I already have written. I'm not positive how often I will be posting — it will likely depend on the level of interest for this story. I really do hope you all enjoy as I am very excited for you to read and get to know Emma. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey Sarah, it's Seth. Are you with Emma?_

That's what Seth's text to me…well Sarah had said. It had arrived in the middle of second period. Sarah had squealed with excitement, practically throwing her phone. She had turned to get my attention but she seemed to have forgotten phones weren't allowed and had it confiscated by Mr. Pennington before I could see the message for myself.

"Thanks a lot." Sarah mutters to me as he walks away with her phone.

"What? _Me!_" I whisper back, "You're the one who practically yelled!"

"Well I wouldn't have yelled if you would have just let me buy you a phone and you could have given Seth your _own _phone number!" She whisper-yells back. I roll my eyes. Sarah had been trying to give me a phone for the past year. She got a new iPhone every November when a new version was released so she had a nice stash of slightly used phones that sat untouched in her family's den. Her family did so much for me, it felt wrong to have them pay the $20 a month for the phone activation. And it would be way too expensive for me to be on my own plan.

"Yes." I drawl, rolling my eyes. "That's the reason you got your phone taken away."

"Ladies!" Mr. Pennington reprimands, "Do you need to be moved?"

Sarah and I sit in careful silence for the rest of the class, not wanting to get in anymore trouble. After class, I head to my locker but Sarah stays behind, no doubt hoping to sweet talk Mr. Pennington into giving her the phone back. School policy was to keep the phone until the end of the day but I'm not even a little bit surprised when Sarah comes bounding down the hall, ponytail bouncing and thrusts the cell phone into my hands. It's ringing and it's a bunch of numbers with a Washington area code.

"I texted him back and told him you could talk right now!" She squeals. I fumble with the phone, staring wide eyed at her.

"I-I can't—" I start, glancing around to see if anyone is paying any attention to us. They aren't. Everyone's too concerned with themselves as per usual.

"Oh yes you fucking can." She assures me, kicking my locker shut and giving me a shove towards the bathroom. "You're going to go in there and talk to him until he asks you out on a date. If you are as charming as I know you can be, you should be able to have a date secured before the next bell." Charming is not exactly a word I would use to describe myself. The phone stops ringing and I breathe out a sigh of relief. The feeling doesn't last long as it immediately starts ringing again. I run into the bathroom before Sarah can yell at me and take two deep breathes before picking up the phone.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" I ask. My voice sounds calm and confident, two things I do not feel at the moment, but I am proud of myself for creating the illusion.

"Of course I am at school." The deep voice scoffs on the other end. "But what if the chance to call you never presents itself again and I missed the opportunity because of pre-cal?"

"You make an excellent point." I agree, sitting down underneath the paper towel dispenser with my back against the tile wall. "However, if I receive a detention for being late to _my_ pre-cal class, I will be requiring you to attend as well."

"I think that is a very reasonable punishment." He agrees and I can hear the smile in his voice. "However, if you are interested in hanging out not trapped in a classroom, I know a great place to get coffee in Forks. My treat." My heart is racing and I swear he can hear it through the phone.

"Well…" I start, getting ready to give my rejection speech. I had practically perfected it at this point, especially to give people who didn't really know me and wouldn't want to know me if they found out I was just some loser who lived in a trailer park. I pause, weighing my options. I actually really did want to see Seth again. And seeing Seth just this one time for coffee did not mean I would have to see him again after that or let him know where I lived. I also knew Sarah would kill me if I exited the bathroom without a date. "I have been known to enjoy a cup of coffee. And if it's the shop on Elm Street then I think that could definitely be arranged."

"Well of course it's the shop on Elm Street, only the best for the star of _'Two Sisters, One Ocean to Skinny Dip In'_." He responds and I hear what sounds like a high five in the background. Jesus, does he have someone sitting there with him? Coaching him through how to ask me out? The thought is almost comical but makes me happy nonetheless. "Thursday? After school around 3:30?"

"I'll be the one wearing all my clothes." I promise. He let's out a laugh that warms my insides. "Okay, now I really do have to go to pre-cal." I stand back off and brush off my jeans. "Talk to you later?"

"Bye, Emma."

And, because I am alone and there is no one to witness my craziness, I let out an excited squeal before composing myself and sprinting out of the bathroom to get to class.

I slide into my seat in pre-cal just as the bell is ringing.

* * *

_"Well?!" _Sarah asks, falling into the seat across from me in the library. I jump in surprise and wonder if this is the first time Sarah has ever been in the library. I always ate lunch at the little corner table in the back right of the library. Sarah used to try to get me to sit with her and her other friends in the lunch room but I always felt out of place. A couple months after moving here, I had started sitting in the library during lunch so I wouldn't have to try to socialize with everyone. And I could work on homework. I tried to keep the lights off in the trailer to keep the electric bill down but that often affected me doing my homework. It was better when I could finish my work at school.

When Sarah had shown up, I was half way through chapter six of _To Kill A Mockingbird_. It wasn't that I hadn't been waiting for her to accost me, it was just that I didn't think she would actually waste her precious lunch time to hunt me down in the library and force information out of me. I had managed to hand her off her phone in the hallway between pre-cal and history but had refused to stop and talk to her about Seth.

"Well, what?" I ask, flipping to the next page in my book and taking a bite of a peanut butter cracker. She gives me an exasperated look that makes me think she will explode if I don't tell her what happened immediately. "We're getting coffee after school on Thursday."

"Tell. Me. Everything." She gushes, snatching the book out of hand and pushing it to the other end of the table.

"Hey!" I sigh in annoyance, reaching back for the book. "I told you, he asked me out for coffee and that's it. I'll go on Thursday and then probably never see him again."

"_Of course_ you're going to see him again after that." She insists. "He is going to fall madly in love with you."

"Sure," I shrug, "And then he's going to find out I'm trailer trash and stay far, far away." It makes me mad that she's even pushing the issue but I know she's not trying to make me feel bad. Sarah is so perfect and has never had anyone not like her. She doesn't know what it's like to have people not like you and judge you for reasons you can't control.

"You are not trailer trash." She insists. "And he was head over heels for you at the bonfire. Promise me you'll give him a real chance?"

"Okay, whatever." I say to appease her, going back to my book and peanut butter crackers. She seems to realize the conversation is over but chooses to stay sitting across from me, pulling out her own copy of _To Kill A Mockingbird_ and an apple.

* * *

I don't hear from Seth at all over the next few days and I feel weird asking Sarah if I can borrow her phone to text him. I also don't know what I would say if I did text him. _Hi, whats up?_ seemed so juvenile and _Please tell me you're thinking about me too_ was too serial killer like. By the time the final bell rings on Thursday, my stomach is filled with butterflies and I am stressing about what we will even talk about over coffee.

I bolt out of the school before Sarah can find me and either a) fuss over me and my hair and my makeup or b) insist on driving me and make me feel like I am being dropped off by my mom on a date. _A date._ I had been on dates before, it wasn't like the concept was new to me but this felt different. I actually wanted to be here.

I had accepted dates for different reasons in the past. When I was 16, I had this fantasy that some boy was going to fall in love with me and not care that I lived in a trailer park. I got asked out on a lot of first dates but the second dates never came because the guy thought if he bought me dinner or took me to a movie or for ice cream that I would sleep with him and I wasn't important enough to waste a second date on if I hadn't taken off my pants after the first one.

The only guy I had ever gone on more than one date with was James Stowe. He had lived in the same trailer park as me in Walla Walla, Washington and the term 'date' was a very loose interpretation. James and his father lived in the nicest trailer I had ever seen. It was two trailers put together and one of them had a small loft in the top with a mattress shoved in that I thought was just so cool. They also had a real kitchen table with two matching chairs that they had inherited from his aunt when she moved. In my mind, having nice things meant matching furniture.

When James had first asked me out to hang out at the local mall after school one day, I had almost said no. But the thing with James was, he lived in a trailer park but he still had friends. He had lived in the Eastgate Trailer Complex since he was four years old, he had gone to school with all of these kids before they knew to not be friends with kids from trailer parks, and he had kept those friends all the way through high school. Finding friends was something I had always struggled with and he was _very_ handsome with ashy blonde hair that fell into his eyes and dimples that were always prominent when he laughed.

I had been thrilled at the idea of being James girlfriend and his friends becoming my friends. I thought that maybe things were going to finally turn around for me. And, when a few days later, he asked me to get ice cream at McDonalds, I thought we were soulmates. A week after that, he took me to a movie and after that back to his trailer where he showed me the little loft area where he slept. And I didn't stop him when he started kissing me, so when he asked if I had sex before, I answered yes because I didn't want him to think I was a loser. And when he took off my pants, I didn't stop him either. I knew I should have, that I wasn't ready, but I honestly thought he liked me so much and that would make up for me being scared.

I hadn't imagined my first time before that night. But I had never thought it would involve listening to a couple from the trailer next door scream at each other about rent and the distant sound of sirens approaching while a guy I didn't really know roughly jabbed his dick into me for a minute and a half. I was almost in tears by the time it was over but if James noticed, he didn't say anything.

_So, um, do you want to go to the park tomorrow after school?_ I remembered asking him while fixing my top and zippering back up my pants. _Uh, yeah, I'll let you know._ He had responded, already on his phone, texting someone else. Already having lost interest in me.

And that had been the last real conversation I had with him. The following week I heard a rumor that he was hooking up with Jennifer Mitchell and that's when I knew I had really been delusional. Because no one was going to come rescue me from this trailer park or this life. That had been the last date I had been on. Once I moved to Forks, I had left that misguided dreamer behind.

But I figured Seth would be a good way to get back out there, just so I could _say_ that I had been on a date recently. Not that people really asked me about my personal life, but _still_…

When I reach Cheryl's Cafe on Elm Street, the first thing I notice is that Seth is already there. His large, tan body seems out of place in the little coffee shop with all of the pale Fork's residence. He's sitting at a small table in the back, two drinks and a plate of assorted baked goods in front of him. I can't help the grin that appears on my face as I slide into the chair across from him.

"Hi." I greet, leaning forward to smell the warm, sweet drink, recognizing the smell almost immediately. "How'd you know?" I ask, sipping at the caramel macchiato, my favorite.

"Hi, yourself," He responds, stretching his long legs and bumping his foot with mine. "And a little birdie named Sarah told me what you liked." I roll my eyes, of course.

"Do you guys text about me?" I ask. "Because I thought you wanted her number to talk _to me_, not _about me_."

"Of course I only want to talk to you." He scoffs. "But I did need help from Sarah so I could at least attempt to impress you."

"Impress?" I ask, raising my eyebrows in surprise. No one had ever tried to impress me before but he was definitely doing a good job. I was also relieved that he was already sitting with coffee and baked goods when I had arrived. I hadn't known if I should expect him to pay for me or if I should insist on buying my own coffee. That part had stressed me out more than wondering what we were going to talk about. I wondered if Sarah had somehow known that and told him to order ahead of time.

"Well, sure," Seth rolls his eyes, "If I don't impress you on date one, how am I ever going to secure a date two?" I try to hide my grin by taking another sip of my drink. I was in trouble. I realized that Seth was not just some boy who would disappear in a few days. He was in this for the long haul…well at least he was in this while he thought I was a Perfect Forks Girl. I wondered how quickly he would ditch me when he found out I wasn't. Probably immediately.

We stayed at the coffee shop for almost three hours and only left once the staff started cleaning the empty tables. I had never met someone who listened to me. It seemed crazy but he genuinely didn't ask questions just to get a response…he heard everything I said and seemed to be memorizing it all. I really was in trouble. I found myself liking him far too much.

"Come on, I'll drive you home." Seth says as we exit the cafe.

"Don't worry about it…it's a short walk." I insist, knowing there is no way in hell I am letting Seth know I live in a trailer park.

"It's dark," He explains, "There's no way I'm letting you walk home alone." I chew on my lip, realizing he's serious.

"Okay." I hesitantly agree. Once we are in his car, I guide him towards Sarah's house.

"Here?" Seth clarifies as I tell him to slow at Sarah's driveway and I wonder if even he can tell that I clearly do not live at this perfectly manicured house.

"Yeah, this is Sarah's house." I explain, feeling like I'd be lying if I didn't tell him. "We actually have a project to work on." He doesn't question me but pulls into the driveway and parks the car. "Um…thanks." I pull on the ends of my long hair nervously and unbuckle my seatbelt.

"Do you think I can still walk you to the door?" He asks, a hopeful smile on his face. I shake my head no — not only did I not tell Sarah I was actually coming here after the date, I also know I would die of embarrassment if he kissed me on her front steps and then her parents opened the door. "Well then how am I going to secure a date two?"

I turn my body to face him. I know if I don't kiss this boy and the opportunity never presents itself again, I will hate myself forever. And I'm pretty sure Sarah will only let me in her house if I tell her I kissed him. I lean forward slowly, giving him an out incase he decides that he really doesn't want to kiss me. He goes very still and if he hadn't spent the last three hours flirting with me, I would probably think he didn't want to kiss me. I raise one hand up to his face and, with just my pointer finger, tilt his chin towards mine.

Even though I kinda want to maul Seth, I keep myself in control and just press lightly against his warm lips. They feel amazing on my own but I pull back after a couple seconds and give him a slight pat on the cheek.

"Thanks for the coffee and cookies, Seth." I say cheerfully and open the car door, quickly exiting the vehicle and slamming the door shut behind me. He's still sitting in the parked car when Sarah flings open the front door of her home before I've even made it all the way up the steps. She is beaming and leans outside, wiggling her fingers in Seth's direction, before grabbing me by the hand and pulling me all the way into the house.

* * *

**I am so glad you guys are liking this! I do respond to all my reviews so make sure you have your PM's turned on! I'm always happy to answer questions, hear ideas, and chat. :) ****I think the next chapter we need to have some interaction with the pack, what do you guys think?**


	3. Chapter 3

_Do you have plans on Saturday?_

Per Sarah, the text from Seth had arrived in the middle of her third period math class. She had asked to go to the bathroom immediately and had instead come to find me. I had been in my English class when suddenly Sarah was leaping up and down in the hallway, waving her hands and trying to get my attention through the small window in the closed door. _Jesus._

"What?" I mouth, wondering if she's having a seizure. She stomps her foot in annoyance and holds up her phone, waving it in the air. "Ms. Wright, can I go to the bathroom?" I ask, raising my hand but also simultaneously standing up and gathering my things. The teacher nods her head absentmindedly and allows me to leave the classroom. Sarah is already half running down the hallway towards the bathroom and I rush after her. The second the door shuts behinds us, she lets out an excited shriek and shoves the phone in my face, showing me the message.

"So what are we going to say?" She squeals. "Are we playing hard to get? Or should I tell him you'll meet him in his bed at eight?" Sarah lets me take the phone from her and I quickly type out my response.

_I actually have a coffee date with a different insanely tall guy…maybe you should have asked earlier? _Sarah is leaning half on top of me when we see the little text bubbles move to show he's typing.

That is a bummer because while you have a coffee date with a different insanely tall, _hot_ guy, I had been planning on having you come to a cookout with the best pasta salad in the entire world…_Hey_, I didn't say the guy was hot…Really? I could have sworn…Well, I guess I could _potentially_ move my plans around if the pasta salad is really the best in the world…No, no, wouldn't want to mess up your plans…You're right, this insanely tall, hot guy won't eat all of the sugar cookies like a _certain_ other tall, hot guy had done the day before so I don't want to miss out on the date…So _you do_ think I'm hot…Well, either way, I could definitely be persuaded to move my plans around but you'd have to decide quick. After all, Sarah was becoming restless without a phone glued to her hand and soon phone privileges would be taken away…

_Pick you up at 1:00? At Sarah's?_

_See you then :)_

I let out a breath that I had been holding.

"Hot damn you're good." Sarah says, still leaning over me as we stare at the phone. There are a few little text bubbles but then they disappear like he's decided against whatever he had been about to say. I hand Sarah back her phone and she grabs it before slapping me in the arm.

"Ow!" I yelp, rubbing where she hit. "What?"

"You have been holding out on me." She declares, spinning in a circle and walking over to the long mirror above the sink and staring at her perfect complexion.

"I told you, all I did was kiss him last night, not even any tongue—" I start but she shoots me a look.

"No, no, I believe you on that." She says, grinning and leaning against the sink. "_You_ can flirt and instead you always pretend that you can't or aren't interested. _God_, imagine what you could do if you tried even ten percent when all these guys flirt with you."

"Well maybe I just don't like them as much." I laugh, joining her next to the sinks and choosing to wash my hands. _Or maybe I just like Seth too much._

"Okay, so I have something for you and you're not allowed to throw a temper tantrum." She states, digging through her purse. I dry off my hands on a paper towel and lean against the sink next to her. She pulls out a silver iPhone I recognize as last years model and thrusts it into my hands. It's connected to a white charging cord and I grab onto it just to prevent it from falling and cracking, winding the cord in my hands.

"No, no, Sarah—" I start but she is already gripping both my arms in her hands, staring at me more seriously than she ever has before.

"This is for _me_, not _you_." She states. "It's not fair that I can't text my best friend twenty-four-seven and it's also not fair for you to be trapped in that trailer without a phone incase something happens."

"Sarah…" I whisper, feeling the shame that I feel so often when I can't afford something everyone else has or when I can't relate to things everyone else experiences.

"Shit, Emma, I get worried about you in there sometimes. With all the yelling and the dogs barking and the creepy guys. Please promise me you'll call me if something ever happens?" She asks. "Or the police? Or Seth? _Just someone_."

"Thank you, Sarah, but I can't take this." I say even though I'm already loving how the cool metal feels against my hand.

"Well of course you're taking it." She says, rolling her eyes and slipping back into her usual carefree demeanor. "It's already activated and on our family plan so if you don't take it then my parents are just wasting their money." Then she wraps me in a hug and pulls back quickly, running towards the door before I can give her the phone back. "I've been gone for sooo long, I'm going to have to fake cramps just to avoid a detention."

* * *

I decide not to text Seth even though I think about doing so every five minutes until the next morning. Sarah had hers and Seth's numbers already programmed into the phone but I just wasn't quite sure what to say to Seth. So while Sarah and I had texted late into the night, I had not let Seth know of my new form of communication. I was kinda worried he wouldn't text me back…or the he would and I wouldn't know what to say.

Either way, I walk over to Sarah's a little after eleven the next morning and let her choose my outfit and do my makeup. I don't usually let her use me like a doll but she gave me a phone and I figure I owe her at least a little bit of fun.

Seth arrives at exactly one o'clock and I open the door happily. He's standing on the other side of Sarah's front door, smiling happily at me and holding a sugar cookie in one of his hands.

"Ooo!" I gasp in surprise and take the treat from him, stepping aside so he can enter the house. I grab one of his hands as he enters and thread my fingers through his.

"Uh oh, looks like Seth here has you all figured out." Sarah says, smirking as she comes around the corner. She turns her attention to Seth. "The best way to keep Emma happy is to bring her little gifts."

"That's not—"

"Food, drinks, little knick knacks, I've never seen someone so happy to receive a McDonald's toy." Sarah continues, ignoring me. "If you get her something too big or costing real money, she will refuse to accept but with little things she just can't help herself."

"Noted." Seth says, pulling me a little closer and accepting a piece of cookie I offer him.

"Well, you two have fun." Sarah says, as I pull Seth back out the door. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Emma!" I flip her off which is hard to do while holding a cookie but damn if I was going to let go of Seth's hand.

"Well you're in a good mood." He hums, dropping my hand and opening the car door for me. I had been trying to think of a casual way to bring up my new form of communication but I realize I am just too excited so I pull the phone out of my back pocket and wave it in front of him. He gives me exactly the reaction I had been hoping for. "You got a phone?"

"Yup!"

"When?"

"Yesterday." I explain, slipping it back in my pocket.

"And you didn't text me at all?" He pouts, leaning forward. For a second I think he is going to kiss me but instead he turns his attention back to the house where I am sure Sarah is watching.

"I figured I'd see if you got bored of me after spending the whole afternoon together and, if you didn't, we could discuss you having my phone number." I say, climbing into the vehicle and letting him shut the door behind me.

"Me, bored of you?" He asks, climbing into the drivers seat and giving me a grin. "Never gonna happen."

* * *

When we arrive at his friend Sam's house, Seth immediately takes my hand in his own, tangling our fingers together again. He looks so happy to be walking up to his friend's house with me at his side and, I have to admit, I feel happy too.

"So these are all the people from the other night?" I ask and he nods his head. "I'm sorry but I definitely don't remember any of their names."

"That's okay." He promises. "Just stick with me and you'll be good."

Seth walks right into the house, pulling me down the hallway and towards the kitchen. I can see in the living room two guys playing video games with another two cheering them on. In the kitchen, two women are talking and laughing. I recognize both of them from the bonfire. The one with scars down half her face is fluttering around the kitchen, grabbing things and situating two huge platters of raw meat presumably to go out to the grill. They both look up when we enter and I can't help but feel a little shy. I never have been very good at making friends. They both seem pleased to see us though and I know these people are important to Seth so I promise myself I will make the best effort.

"Hey, Emma!" The one with scars says. "I'm Emily and this is Kim. I know we met briefly the other night but Seth was hogging you so we didn't really get to talk." Seth blushes slightly and I laugh.

"Nice to meet you both." I say. _Should I have brought something?_ I wonder. _I definitely should have brought something. _The sliding door to the backyard is propped open and I can see more of the guys outside, a few without shirts even though it's not _that_ warm.

"Think you can get him in here?" Emily asks Kim, leaning on the counter and grinning.

"Ja_red_." Kim says in a sing song voice and I wouldn't have thought her boyfriend would have been able to hear her from the living room over the sounds of the video game, laughter, and talking but he responds immediately.

"I'll be there in a minute, Kim!" He calls. "I'm almost — _shit_ — going to beat level — _no, no Paul_ — thirteen!" Kim rolls her eyes at Emily.

"I'll let you do that thing you like…you know the—"

"Guys, I'm out." Jared quickly says and I hear the other three groan and then the sound of one of the video game characters dying. Jared bops into the kitchen and makes a beeline for Kim.

"Actually, never mind, but I need you to carry these out to Sam." Kim cuts right to the point and Jared lets out a frustrated groan, as if realizing he's been played. He doesn't actually seem mad though and wraps his arms around her, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. When he pulls back, she has a glazed look in her eyes and he seems pleased when he grabs one of the platters sitting on the counter. Jared gives Seth and I a wink before walking out the back door.

"Well you kinda asked for that one." Emily laughs before turning to Seth and giving him an expecting look.

"Yeah, yeah, Emily, I know the drill." Seth says. He turns his attention to me momentarily and I roll my eyes.

"I think I'll survive without you." I promise. He gives my hand one last squeeze and leans down, kissing my cheek, before grabbing the second tray and following Jared outside. I shift nervously, looking at the two girls. Kim taps the seat next to hers and I gratefully sit down, just happy to be included.

"We're so glad you're here." Emily says and Kim nods her head in agreement. "There's too many guys around here, we need more girls."

"No we don't." Another voice says, coming in from the living room. This man walks right up to Kim and ruffles her hair.

"Paul." She groans, trying to swat at him but he ducks out of her reach, laughing.

"You guys better learn to like Emma, she's the last partner and crime you're gonna get." Paul says. "You think Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb are ever going to get girlfriends?"

"Hey!" Dee and Dumb both say, coming all the way into the kitchen from the living room. I can tell that they are younger than the other guys, though probably not by much.

"And what about _you,_ Paul?" Kim asks. "You agree that there is absolutely no one out there who wants to put up with your furry ass?"

"Well, _I'm_ certainly not bringing any girl here." Paul laughs and ruffles Kims hair again. "She'd meet you two and run screaming." Dee slides into the chair next to me and Dumb moves to rescue Kim, draping his arms over her shoulders to block Paul from coming any closer.

"He's an ass." Kim says, rolling her eyes but laughing. Paul's still smiling as he walks through the sliding doors and into the yard. "Thanks, Brady." She snuggles into Dumb's — _Brady's_ — arms contently.

"I'm Collin." Dee says and I turn my attention to him.

"Emma." I introduce.

"Of course I know who you are." Collin scoffs, smirking at me. "Seth _has not_ shut up about you for a week."

"I'm sure that's not true." I blush, trying to give Seth at least _some_ back up.

"Oh no, it is." Brady says. "What if I ask Emma out for coffee and she says _no_? What if I ask Emma out for coffee and she says _yes_ but doesn't like coffee?"

"What if she says yes and then doesn't show up?" Collin continues. "What if I bring her to Sam and Emily's and then Collin and Brady _embarrass_ me?"

_"What if she doesn't like pasta salad?" _Brady says the last question with such a dramatic flare that even Emily and Kim are snickering.

"He is right about something though, you _do_ have nice hair." Collin says, leaning over and tugging on the end of a strand of my hair.

"Hey!" I laugh, ducking away from him.

"Yeah, he's definitely right about that." Brady agrees, tugging on a different piece of hair, now that I've leaned closer to him to try to get away from Collin. I flinch back towards Collin in surprise.

"You know, if you want to go out with me, _I_ won't eat all the sugar cookies." Collin promises, tugging once more on my hair and leaning close. He's testing me I realize — trying to see how I'll react.

"Ooh," I say, leaning close back to him and invading his personal bubble. He must not have expected the action from me because he looks surprised for a second before grinning even wider. "_And_ will you get me a caramel macchiato too?"

"Hmm," Collin pretends to think about it, tugging on my hair again. "You drive a hard bargain but I am willing to concede. Now how are we going to let Seth know that you like me better?"

"Who said anything about me liking you better than Seth?" I ask. "I just want a caramel macchiato."

"Yeah, who said anything about Emma liking you better than me." Seth says from somewhere behind me. I make a happy noise that he's back, grinning over at him. "Hands off." He says to Collin who still has a finger wrapped around a lock of my hair. I sigh gratefully as he slaps the back of Collin's head and then drapes his arms around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. Collin doesn't even look slightly annoyed or surprised at being slapped and instead grins cheerfully. I suspect that maybe this happens often.

"Hey, Seth," Collin says cheerfully, leaning his head in his hands. "I like her and _I think,_ if you play your cards right, she might like you too."

I realize very quickly that this group is close — like really close. I had never had close friends or family so I wasn't used to it but I couldn't say I didn't like it. I liked affection, I realized, and I didn't receive it as often as I wanted. Sure, Sarah would hug me sometimes or bump her arm into mine while walking. And my mom would hug me too — usually when she was on her way out the door and would be disappearing for a few days. But this group was different. They were very aware of each other and very aware of their actions. Their affection for one another was part of how they showed they cared. Brady remained glued to Kim's side until Jared came back and, once Collin realized that Seth was not going to let him flirt with me anymore, he had moved on to Emily — following her around the kitchen, pinching her, and teasing her mercilessly.

Besides Seth — and Collin's occasional hair pulling — the other guys don't touch me but I can tell they are very aware of everything I do, whoever I am closest to is constantly angling their body towards me or leaning in closer. Once Sam comes back inside from the grill, Collin ducks away from Emily but instead goes over to Embry and Jake, sticking close to them.

"Hello, Emma, nice to see you again." Sam says, very formally nodding his head.

"Nice to see you too." I chirp, "I wore my clothes this time." They all laugh at that, even Sam, and Jake puts an extra scoop of pasta salad on my plate. It feels like approval.

It's early evening by the time Seth and I finally escape out the front door. I had whispered to him that I had to work that night and, if he was disappointed we were leaving, he didn't show it. Instead he lets me say goodbye to everyone and promises the girls I would be back soon, all while keeping his arm wrapped around my waist. At some point after eating four cheeseburgers, Seth had apparently decided that if I would let him hold my hand, I'd probably let him put his arm around my waist too. I was content like this in Seth's grasp. I had never felt so tiny but Seth's large hand almost spanned my entire abdomen and he was so warm. It felt good to have someone to lean on. When we make it to Seth's car, he doesn't open the door right away and I spin happily in his grasp, smiling up at him.

"I know we're a bit much, especially when we're all together." He admits, moving to rest both his hands on my hips. "Hopefully I didn't scare you away."

"Nah, you didn't scare me away." I roll my eyes. "I like them all."

He grins at me and then starts to back me up slowly against the passenger side door. Everything Seth does is slow. It's like he's always giving me an out to escape or say no. I think if he doesn't kiss me soon I will combust. He laughs and I realize I have said the last part out loud. I flush and start to say something, anything to try to save myself some embarrassment but he presses his lips to mine and I just sigh in content. He wraps his other arm around me, pinning me between him and the car. I trail my hands up his chest and when I finally reach his neck and press my fingers lightly against him, he rewards me by leaning in closer and deepening the kiss. It's not like I've kissed a ton of boys or anything but this is definitely the best kiss of my life.

"Yeah," I breathe out when he finally pulls back from my lips and begins kissing my neck, "I definitely like you better than Collin." He pulls back from my neck and gives me a look of surprise before narrowing his eyes playfully.

"Do _not_ talk about Collin while we're making out." He growls. This time there's nothing slow about his movements and I squeal in surprise as he somehow manages to pull me even closer and presses his mouth back to mine.

"So _this_ is Emma?" A voice says from behind Seth and I squeak at being caught by the unknown female. Seth has flipped around and has me behind him protectively before I even register what is happening. Seth is growling and for a second I think we are actually is some sort of danger.

"Hey, don't growl at me, pup." The voice says again, sounding annoyed.

"Come on, Leels, you know better than to scare him when he's in a position like that with her." A second voice says and I peer around Seth to see a boy who I recognize from the bonfire but who hadn't been inside the house earlier. He sends me a grin and a little wave. I know I must be bright red with embarrassment at being caught, but I smile back at him and wave. I press on the small of Seth's back and he loosens his grip on me, but not removing it completely, letting me step next to him so I can see both of his friends.

"What, did you think I was a vampire?" The woman asks Seth, rolling her eyes before looking over at me curiously.

"This is my sister, Leah." Seth says, rolling his own eyes. "And Quil was at the bonfire the other night…they were both working so they couldn't stop by earlier."

"Nice to meet you." I say to both of them, but mostly to Leah. If she is Seth's sister, that makes her the most important out of all of them.

"Hm." Leah says, evaluating me curiously before giving me a small grin. "I'm gonna go get food, see ya later."

"I'm pretty sure that was equivalent to a seal of approval from Leah." Quil says, shaking his head. "Nice to see you again, Emma." Quil runs after Leah up the front steps to the house.

"Now where were we." Seth hums once we are alone again. He moves me back up against the car, slow again and giving me a way out, before pressing his lips back to mine.

"I guess," I finally sigh when Seth pulls away and just smiles down at me, "That I can give you my number."

* * *

**Ugh, these two! And how did you guys like Dee and Dumb? I intend to have a lot of Collin and Brady in this story as well. Who doesn't love some Collin-Comic-Relief? As always, please review if you're enjoying!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Not a single review for the last chapter? What the hey guys!**

* * *

"I don't want to be presumptuous," Sarah starts, which is how I know that is _exactly_ how she's about to be, "But I think you and Seth are going to get married."

"Oh, get a grip, Sarah." I roll my eyes. "I've known the guy a week."

"I am being serious!" She promises. "You both look _so good_ together, it's like you guys just fit. Plus, I've never seen you so happy before."

"I just don't want to ruin it, ya know?" I mumble, averting my eyes from Sarah and choosing to stare ahead at the lockers as we walk down the hallway. "He thinks too highly of me, I'm only going to let him down."

"Well _maybe_ you should tell him all your deep, dark secrets and _maybe_ he'd surprise you." She lets out a long sigh but I decide not to respond. At some point while texting Seth until two in the morning, I had thought that maybe I _would_ tell him about my life. About how I have an absentee mother and I don't know who my father is and how I live in a trailer. But that had been deliriously happy and deliriously sleepy me. Now, almost thirteen hours later and leaving school, I thought two in the morning me was dumb. Besides, Seth would probably grow tired of me in a few days. There was no point in opening up to someone who wasn't going to stick around anyways. A smaller, nagging voice in the back of my head tells me Seth isn't going to get bored with me but I decide to ignore it.

"Oh hey, there's Dylan, I'll meet you out front." Sarah whispers, her gaze already focused on the sandy haired boy across the hall. _Poor guy._ Sarah was a girl who didn't really have to try hard for people to like her. And she didn't have to try hard for boys to fall all over her. When she decided she did want to try, that's when the boys were in trouble. Lately, she had decided Dylan Newton was someone she was going to put in effort for.

Dylan Newton was very cute. He had sandy, blonde hair that fell into his blue eyes. He looked like a younger version of his brother — or at least that's what everyone said. His brother had graduated three years ago, before I had even come to Forks. Dylan was nice and I had decided that Sarah was probably in need of a good dose of nice. He did always look happy to see Sarah but he also looked scared out of his mind, like he wasn't quite sure what to do with her. I keep walking towards the school exit but don't miss the pleased smile on Dylan's face when Sarah slides in between him and two other basketball players he had been talking to moments before. _Poor Guy._ He had no idea what he was in for.

I'm still thinking about Sarah and Dylan while I walk out to the parking lot, towards Sarah's car. My focus being on them is probably why I don't notice Seth until I'm about ten feet away from him. He has double parked his mom's sedan, effectively blocking Sarah's car into her spot, and is leaning against the side of her Jeep. I halt my steps in surprise, my eyes sweeping over his beautiful form. How is it possible that, out of everyone, this boy is here for _me_?

I want to walk up to him slowly and say something smart or teasing but, in reality I am too excited to see him and I quickly close the distance between us. I've dropped my backpack on the ground next to us, he's wrapped his arms around me, and has his lips on mine before I can even think of what to say. I kiss him happily, relishing in the feel of his arms around my waist and snaking my own around his. I had seen him on Saturday at the cookout and we had spent most of Sunday texting, but it wasn't the same as being with him and wrapped in his arms. He pulls back but moves his lips to my neck. His teeth graze over my pulse point and I shiver, wondering if he has any idea what he's doing to me.

"You know," I start, able to collect myself to speak coherently once he has pulled his lips from my neck. "I wish I had known you were coming. My _other_ _boyfriend_ was going to pick me up today and that's just bad optics to have him catch me kissing you."

"Boyfriend?" Seth asks, laughing, and I realize that I have inadvertently called _him_ my boyfriend.

"Oh, I mean—" My confidence waivers for a second and I try to pull back from him but he keeps his arms locked around me.

"I would like very much to be your boyfriend, Emma." Seth says. "But I don't do too well at sharing so if you can tell your _other boyfriend_ that it's just not going to work out with him, that'd be great."

"You don't—" I start, feeling my cheeks getting warmer. "We don't _have_ to…we can keep doing…whatever it is we're doing?" Seth rolls his eyes looking very much like his sister and leans down, placing a quick kiss on the tip of my nose.

"Nope, it's decided." He says cheerfully. "You're my girlfriend, no take backs." I let out a little content sigh of happiness, leaning into his chest, and wrapping my arms tighter around his waist.

"How did you get here so fast?" I ask, "Didn't school just get out for you too?"

"I had a free last period, I figured I'd cut and come see you." He explains and I pull my head back so I can look up at him. He pulls one of his arms away from me and reaches into his pocket, pulling something out and holding it in front of my face. I take the small object he's presented me and grin. It's a small keychain with a tan wolf attached.

"For me?" I ask, making a happy sound. He nods his head seeming pleased at my reaction and rewraps his other arm back around me. I cradle the present between my hands, staring happily at it.

"Sarah's right, you're way to easy to please." He teases but I'm too happy to defend myself. I didn't need anyone to spend money on me or take me to lavish places but little things…like this keychain…meant the world. It meant that Seth was somewhere and thinking of me and cared enough about me to find something that would make me smile.

"Thank you." I whisper and lean up to press my lips back to his in a light kiss.

"So are we gonna do something or are you two just gonna make out all day?" A voice says, sounding more teasing than annoyed. I peer around Seth and see Collin leaning partly on the roof of the sedan. He must have been sitting inside the vehicle but had decided it would be more fun out here. He comes around the car and leans against Sarah's Jeep next to Seth and I.

"Hey, Collin." I chirp, grinning at him.

"Am _I _your other boyfriend?" He asks, reaching out and pulling on the end of my ponytail.

"Yuck, no." I respond, rolling my eyes. "He should be around here somewhere though. He's very handsome, doesn't eat sugar cookies…" I stand on my tip toes and pretend to look around. Seth growls and pulls me closer to him, pressing his forehead to mine.

"I told you, I don't like to share." He reminds me.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Sarah's voice trills across the parking lot and I'm pretty sure that if anyone at Forks High School wasn't already aware that I was wrapped up in the arms of a large Quileute man, they knew now. I try to pull away from Seth but he keeps his arms wrapped tightly around me and the most I can do is twist slightly so I am facing Sarah as well. Collin looks very amused and gives my ponytail one more tug.

Dylan Newton is walking by Sarah's side, he has a grin on his face and his full attention is on her. _Yup, that boy is in trouble_. Two of Sarah's other friends, Lily and Veronica are also with them. They've never been mean to me per say but they've never been overly friendly either. Lily isn't bad — she usually has a smile for me the hallway. But Veronica has scowled at me ever since I took her seat in Anatomy last year. Veronica eyes Seth hungrily and I bristle in defense, surprised by the feelings of jealously and possessiveness that course through me. Seth dips his head and presses a kiss behind my earlobe and I force myself to relax in his arms. Veronica trails her eyes over to Collin instead and I don't miss the flirty smile that the younger boy gives her.

"Hey, Sarah." Seth says. "Thank god you're here, Emma is _forcing_ me to be her boyfriend."

"Seth!" I squeak in surprise and embarrassment even though I know he is kidding. I try to break out of his grasp again but he holds me tight and I let out a sigh of frustration when I give up. There were worst places I could be, I suppose, than pressed up against Seth Clearwater's chest.

"Oh she is, is she?" Sarah asks, her eyes sparkling in amusement as they slide over me. I realize she's not surprised in the slightest by the news and had likely known I would cave immediately — even if I had insisted Seth and I would never be anything serious.

"Hey, man, I'm Dylan." Sarah's latest boy-toy reaches his hand out to Seth.

"Seth." My _boyfriend_ introduces, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you." I use the opportunity to duck out of Seth's grasp but I don't even make it a foot away before he's snagged my belt loops and pulled me back to him. Dylan introduces himself to Collin as well and shakes his hand.

"This is Veronica and Lily." Sarah introduces the two other girls. "We were going to head back to my place and hang out, you guys will come?" Sarah turns her attention to me, her eyes wide and silently begging. I didn't usually make a habit of hanging out with Sarah while she had other friends over but Lily nods her head happily at me. I glance at Seth and he shrugs. _Well, it's not like I can take him back to my place_. I don't really have anywhere else to bring them.

"Are you sure?" I ask. Sarah rolls her eyes.

_"Yes."_ She responds. "Let's hang out in the game room and my mom can order us pizza." Collin and Seth both look at me interestingly at that. Yup, these boys want pizza. Collin, Seth, and I get into the sedan with Sarah, Dylan, and the other girls following us in Sarah's Jeep.

"We can always do something else." I say, once we're in the car.

"And turn down free pizza?" Collin questions, spinning from the passenger seat to look at me.

"Is there something else you want to do?" Seth asks, eyeing me from the rear view mirror. I flush under both of their attention. I didn't want Seth to cater to me. "Aren't they your friends?"

"Sarah's my best friend." I answer automatically, because it's true. "The other girls...not so much."

"Well, then we'll do something else." Seth sates matter of factly. "Do you want to head back to La Push or hang around here?"

"Seth!" Collin says, sounding frustrated.

"I don't care if you want to flirt with that girl or whatever. If Emma doesn't—"

"No, no, you're right." I swallow to force myself not to grimace at my next words. "We should go. It's fine. I'm fine."

"Emma—"

"No it'll be fun, besides I want pizza." I smile at the two of them encouragingly. If I had them keep driving to La Push, Sarah would definitely be mad since I had just told her we would come over. At least I would get a free dinner out of this. I just hoped the other girls wouldn't say something rude or bring up the fact that I live in a trailer park. We pull into Sarah's driveway, Sarah pulling in right behind us. Seth's hands are gripping my hips as soon as we get out of the car.

"The _second_ you want to go—" He promises but cuts off as everyone else piles out of the Jeep. I nod my head and lean up to press my lips to his jaw, letting him know that it's okay.

"Mom!" Sarah calls as we all enter into her house. "I have friends and we want pizza pretty please!"

Linda Adams pops her head out from around corner of the kitchen, smiling happily at us. I was convinced that Mrs. Adams was quite possibly the most perfect housewife to ever exist. She always had something baking, a candle lit, and she clearly adored her daughter and husband. She also loved when Sarah had friends over. She would plan elaborate movie nights or cookouts for Sarah and her friends, no expenses spared.

"Hey, Kids!" She smiles. "The usual, Sarah?"

"Yeah, Mom." Sarah nods her head, carrying her backpack into the kitchen and dropping it onto one of the kitchen chairs. "We're gonna hang out in the game room." Lily is already walking down the basement stairs and Veronica has grabbed Collin's hand, pulling him along after them.

"I believe I see some new faces." Mrs. Adams says, her eyes following Collin who is already disappearing down the stairs and then flickering between Seth and Dylan.

"That's Collin." Sarah says in explanation, following her mothers eyes towards the stairs. "Dylan's in some of my classes." She continues, gesturing towards Dylan Newton. "And Seth is Emma's _boyfriend_." Sarah grins evilly at me and I blush.

"Very nice to meet both of you." Linda says, giving me a small smirk. Thankfully she doesn't press the whole boyfriend thing and I wonder if Sarah had already told her about Seth.

"We're gonna head downstairs, let me know when the pizza is here." Sarah chirps, grabbing Dylan's hand and pulling him towards the basement. He momentarily looks seriously freaked at holding Sarah's hand then breaks into a goofy grin. Seth and I make eye contact and try our best to hold back laughter.

"Nice to meet you too." Seth says, letting me pull him after Dylan and Sarah.

The Adams had finished off the entire basement and made it into a hang out space for Sarah and her friends. There was a pool table, a large television, two huge couches, and even a foosball table. It was the perfect space to lounge around at and made Sarah's house a favorite of just about ever senior at Forks High School. Collin, Veronica, and Lily have already begun a game of life size jenga and have the blocks stacked on the large coffee table in the center of the room. All three of them are sitting on the ground and Veronica is pressed up against Collin's side. She works quick.

"I _really_ want to tell her he's sixteen." I whisper to Seth. I wouldn't have thought Collin would have been able to hear me but he whips his head towards me immediately, staring at me with wide eyes. Seth laughs as we walk over to the group and take seats on the ground near them. "I'm kidding." I promise Collin. Veronica gives me a confused look, clearly not having heard my comment, but is distracted by Lily prompting her to choose a block.

"Come on, Dylan." Sarah says, "Let's play foosball." I know Sarah must be thrilled at Dylan hanging out with us. He had never been to Sarah's before but it was definitely easier to invite him over with the preface being a group hang out.

"He is so nervous right now." Seth whispers in my ear, making me laugh.

"Yeah, Sarah has that affect on people." I reply, leaning forward and expertly tapping one of the wooden blocks until it slides out effortlessly from the other side.

"So do you guys live on the reservation?" Veronica questions.

"Yeah." Collin nods his head.

"And how did you meet Emma?" Lily asks, starting to try to remove one block but thinking better of it and choosing a different one.

"Sarah and Emma were skinny dipping on the beach at, like, ten o'clock at night." Collin laughs and I blush bright red. "We were having a bonfire on the beach and, well, I'm pretty sure Seth was not going to let Emma leave without getting her number."

"Skinny dipping?" Lily asks, seeming surprised. She didn't know me _that_ well but skinny dipping wasn't something she would probably expect from me. I bet she would be even more shocked if she knew it had been my idea.

"Wow, Em, couldn't just be the Forks town slut, you had to move on to La Push too?" Veronica snickers, rolling her eyes.

I stiffen at Veronica's comment. Lily's eyes are wide and she glances over at Sarah to see if she heard. Sarah would never put up with Veronica talking to me like that and they both know it. Sarah's completely occupied in her foosball game with Dylan, both oblivious to the scene playing out near the table. I'm trying to think of what to say in response but my mind is completely blank. Seth's entire body is tense but he tightens his hand around mine from where it rests on the floor.

"She's kidding." Lily quickly says. Collin physically removes Veronica's hand from from his chest and shifts away from her, closer to me. I look over at him, surprised by his reaction. He has a hard glare on his face though and is making his position to Veronica clear. He's choosing me. It wasn't that I thought Collin would laugh or agree with Veronica but I certainly hadn't anticipated his loyalty.

"It was a joke, sheesh." Veronica says, rolling her eyes but I can tell she's disappointed Collin has stopped his flirting.

"Let's play darts." Lily says suddenly, grabbing Veronica's hand and yanking her up from the ground.

"Ow." Veronica mutters but stumbles after Lily nonetheless. Lily shoots me a sympathetic look over her should and mouths _'sorry'_. It seems like she really means it too.

"I'm…I'm not…" I whisper helplessly, feeling like I have to say _something_ but not really knowing what.

"What a _bitch_." Collin fumes, surprising me again by his reaction. I finally glance over at Seth but his face is carefully neutral.

"Her ex-boyfriend asked me out one time." I hear myself trying to justify Veronica's comment. "They were broken up before I even moved here and I said _no_ but she's never forgiven me. I swear I'm not—"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Em." Seth says firmly. "We know you're not and we don't believe anything she says."

I nod my head weakly. At least she didn't say I was a slut from a trailer park. _That_ would have been worse. Seth wraps his arm around my waist and drags me across the carpet, directly to his side.

"Girls are _mean_." Collin says, shaking his head. I glance over at Veronica and Lily to see they are now — _poorly_ — playing darts. Both of them have missed the board altogether.

"Tell me about it." I sigh. None of Sarah's friends particularly enjoyed when Sarah and I spent time together without them. I know Collin's comments about the skinny dipping is probably what set her off. The idea that Sarah and I were having fun at ten o'clock at night on the beach was probably too much for Veronica to handle.

"Food's here!" Linda yells from the top of the stairs. Sarah bounds over and rushes up the stairs. I jump up as well.

"I can—" Seth starts.

"Nah, I got it." I promise, following Sarah up the stairs to help carry down the food. "How's it going?" I ask Sarah once we are in the kitchen, deciding not to throw Veronica under the bus. It really wouldn't do any good.

"Well at least I can confirm he knows I exist now." She says cheerfully.

"Oh, please." I roll my eyes, "Everyone knows _you_ exist, Sarah."

"How's it going on your side?" She smirks. "You know as soon as they leave you are going to repeat every word he said to you that led up to him officially being your boyfriend."

"Of course." I laugh, "If I don't tell you then it will be like it didn't even happen." Sarah rolls her eyes but grabs the three boxes of pizza. I balance the two liters of soda and follow her back down the stairs. In the back corner of the Adams' basement, there is a built in bar. Sarah sets the pizza down on the long counter and I put the bottles of soda next to it before walking around and grabbing a stack of paper plates, cups, and napkins that they keep in one of the cabinets down below. Everyone ambles over to the bar counter and begins grabbing pizza and drinks.

"Jason Q. texted me while you were upstairs." Dylan says after he's taken a couple bites of pizza. "His parents are going to be out of town this weekend so he's gonna throw a rager on Friday — we _have_ to go." Sarah and the two other girls light up at this but I only shrink lower in my barstool, hoping everyone will forget I'm there. I know Dylan is including me in the invite but going to a Forks party was not my idea of a fun Friday night. I had gone to some of the parties but they were all the same. Everyone got too drunk, too fast. Sarah had too many friends and ditched me after an hour, even though I know she didn't mean to. And I was left drinking Natty Light and trying not to get bumped into in the kitchen while some guy tried to get me to sleep with him.

"You guys should come too." Dylan clarifies, including Seth and Collin in his invite, "Bring whoever you want."

"Yeah!" Collin says immediately, clearly thrilled by the idea. I wonder if there are many parties on the Rez or if Sam breaks them all up — it just seems like something he would do. Seth doesn't answer and I know he is looking at me again.

"Oh please, Emma." Sarah begs before turning her attention to Seth, "Em _never_ wants to come out with us."

"That's not true." I mutter.

"We'll let you know." Seth finally says with a shrug, not committing either way. He waits until we're all done eating and Veronica and Lily have gone over to the foosball table before he brings it up again. "If you…if you don't want me hanging out in Forks with your friends, that's okay."

"What?" My eyes widen, wondering how he could possibly think that.

"Are you embarrassed of me? Of us?" He whispers. "Is that why you don't want Collin and I here?"

"No, no, Seth." I promise, launching myself at him and wrapping my arms tight around his waist, needing him to feel how much I want him close. He stays seated on his own barstool but wraps his arms hesitantly around me and tugs me to stand between his legs. Sarah and Dylan are at the opposite end of the bar and leaning in close, speaking quietly and completely oblivious to us. Collin is next to us but has nicely become very interested in his pizza crust and I know he is trying to let us speak. "It's not that at all, please don't think that."

"I probably shouldn't have surprised you at school like that, that wasn't fair of me." He sighs. "I wasn't trying to overstep into your life or force your friends to invite me places."

"Seth." I whisper sadly. I've only known him a week but I already feel so attached to him and the idea of anyone making him upset pains me. Knowing I am the one who is causing his hurt is almost unbearable and it makes me hate myself. How do I explain to him that I am the embarrassment? And that the people I am around are nothing like Collin and Brady and all of his other friends? "You surprising me at school today made me so happy and I want you with me — I don't care if that's in Forks or not. I just don't have friends like yours and the people I'm around aren't always the nicest." I glance over at Veronica and sigh before turning back to face him.

"I don't really hang out in a lot of group settings with Sarah's friends because I feel kind of alone but you make me feel the opposite of alone." I explain. "I really like being with you and Collin and all your other friends so as long as you guys are there, I'll be fine and I'm sure it will be fun. My hesitance is nothing to do with you being there."

"Are you sure?" He asks. I nod my head and lean forward to press my lips to his in a quick kiss. He relaxes slightly and pulls me a little closer.

"Positive." I do my best to assure him. And I _do_ mean it. My least favorite part of group events or parties in Forks is that awkward feeling of not having anyone to talk to or knowing what to say when people do try to talk to me. I wanted to be with Sarah of course, but I didn't really _want_ to hang out with any of the other students at Forks High School. I _did_ want to be with Seth though and the idea of spending a Friday night with him close and arms around me didn't sound too bad.

* * *

**Next chapter is a lonnngggg one guys! And this story will be rated M for a reason. ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

Living in a trailer park may never be temporary but working at a gas station was. I told myself that every shift I went to. I was pretty sure the hours I worked were illegal but jobs were hard to come by in Forks and if I didn't work then I didn't eat. And if I didn't work then the trailer park actually _did_ become temporary because that meant I couldn't pay my portion of the rent. I worked Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from eleven at night until seven in the morning. It was definitely illegal but I made more there with the overnight differential then I could even dream of making anywhere else. Plus, there were always Friday or Saturday shifts I could pick up — someone always wanted the weekend off.

Working at a gas station, especially at night, was the easiest job I had ever had. Most of the time I just sat there. And sure it was boring. And sure I was sleepy. But it was just so damn _easy_ and I was paid good money for it. There were many nights when no one came into the tiny gas station at all. I could bring my homework or a book from the library and just sit on the counter for eight hours. And now, thanks to Sarah, I had an iPhone with unlimited data to keep me occupied. In the morning, I would walk home to the trailer park and get into bed for a half hour before heading to school.

It wasn't exactly a glamorous job, nor was it a job I wanted to brag about but I figured there were worse jobs I could have and at least at this one I got to take home any expired food I wanted. Expired chips still tasted like chips to me.

I had been kind of embarrassed to tell Seth about my job but I had made a point to tell him because I was already stretching the truth about my home life and any further withholding of information felt like a straight up lie. He hadn't exactly been surprised by my admission that I worked in the middle of the night but he hadn't exactly been thrilled.

"So you walk back and forth in the dark?" He had asked me.

"It's really close." I defended. "And it's a super easy job — hardly anyone comes in."

Thankfully Seth hadn't pressed me as to why I needed a job so badly that I worked in the middle of the night. If he could tell I was relieved when he changed the subject and didn't ask me any more questions, he was nice enough not to say anything. Instead, he made a point to text me while I was working or call me so we could talk. I had been clear that I wouldn't let him talk to me past one in the morning, even if he wanted to. Just because _I _had to stay awake, didn't mean _he_ had to. He had school in the morning too and I was pretty sure he wasn't taking a nap after school like me to prepare for my work shift.

Tonight I felt especially restless. I had already mopped the floors, everything was restocked, and I had even reorganized the water bottles by pH levels. Seth had stopped texting me back five minutes ago and I wondered if he had fallen asleep. I hadn't seen him for the rest of the week after hanging out at Sarah's on Monday and, even though we had texted and talked every single day, it just wasn't the same. I had declined the offer of a shift this weekend, deciding I'd much rather spend time with Seth than have an extra one-hundred dollars. The bell above the door dings and I spin around from the chip display in surprise since I hadn't heard a vehicle pull up or saw any headlights in the windows.

"Ooh, Pringles." Seth says, eyeing my stacked chip display. I stand there in shock that he's really there for a couple seconds before quickly crossing the store and wrapping my arms around him. He gives me exactly the reaction I want, winding his arms around my waist and leaning down to brush his nose against mine. "Hey, you."

"What are you doing here?" I ask. I hadn't expected to see him until tomorrow night at Jason Q.'s party and, as much as I hated to admit it to myself, I missed seeing him in those three days it had been since Sarah's. I probably could have seen him sooner but I didn't have a car — or even a license — to visit him in La Push and I felt guilty asking him to drive to me everyday. Besides, I wasn't interested in inviting him to my trailer and I couldn't just invite him over to Sarah's house everyday for the rest of my life. Picturing someone as beautiful and perfect as Seth in my dirty trailer just made me feel sick to my stomach.

"I told you, _Pringles_." Seth says in a matter-of-fact tone, then finally rewards me by brushing his lips against my own. I think he meant it to be a quick kiss but I lean in closer and continue to kiss him before he can pull back.

"I missed you." I mumble against his mouth and he chuckles before trailing his hands down my sides. In one quick movement, he has pressed his fingers to my thighs and scooped me up in his arms. I yelp in surprise but he places me on the counter and presses his lips back to mine. I find that this is a much better angle to kiss him at. He's almost a foot taller than me which means our kisses have been a combination of him leaning down and me leaning up. With me seated on the counter we are almost even now and I sigh happily into the kiss. I had been sleepy before but now I feel wide awake.

The bell above the door dings. Seth jumps back from me and is ten feet away before I can even realize what has happened. A middle aged woman with a knowing smirk is standing in the doorway.

"Welcome to Forks' twenty-four hour gas station!" I chirp, wondering if I sound as breathless as I feel. This job wasn't exactly a job where you had to greet customers but it always seemed more weird not to. And I feel like I have to say _something_ considering the woman has just seen me making out on the register.

"I'll be quick." The woman promises. "Bathroom…?"

"Back corner." I explain, gesturing to the far corner of the store. Seth waits until the bathroom door closes before sauntering back over to me. I am prepared to tell him to leave and that I'll see him tomorrow but as soon as he presses his lips against my neck, I melt against him. Not for the first time, I wonder what Seth sees in _me_. He is unbelievably gorgeous and funny and _so damn nice_. I can't believe that he saw Sarah and I next to each other and chose _me_, decided_ I _was worthy of his affection.

"There's _cameras_ in here." I breathe out, my cheeks feeling warm once he starts to nuzzle my neck, up into my hairline.

"_You're_ the one with your hands up my shirt." He accuses. While Seth had kept his hands propped on the counter on either side of legs, I had somehow pushed his shirt partly up and had my hands pressed against the smooth planes of his chest. If possible, I blush even brighter and snatch my hands back. Seth laughs easily but doesn't move away from me. Instead he pulls me even closer, sliding me until I am at the edge of the counter and pushing open my legs with his hips so he can step between them. "I'm all yours, Sweetheart." I melt all over again if possible but instead of pulling him closer, I push on his chest.

"You have to go." I groan.

"What?" He responds, looking a bit shocked and his grip on my waist softens just slightly.

"I really need this job and you're going to get me _fired_ if you come around here and keep making me want to make out with you." I sigh in explanation. Seth rolls his eyes but doesn't move away from me. "You'll see me in like seventeen hours."

"Too far away." He groans and moves closer like he's going to kiss me again. I hear the bathroom door open and that's all the excuse I need to duck past him and jump off the counter. The woman walks down one of the isles, picking up random snacks and I walk around the register to ring her out. Seth lets out an over exaggerated sigh but ambles over to the sunglass display and begins trying glasses on, staring at his reflection in the small mirror.

I ring out the snacks and take the crumpled ten dollar bill she hands over, only half paying attention to her. The rest of my focus is on Seth who is now trying on a shiny, red pair of glasses and making faces in the mirror. The woman follows my line of sight and lets out a quiet laugh, making Seth whip his head in our direction. He shoots us both a megawatt smile and I roll my eyes.

"Have a good night." The woman says cheerfully, gathering her items and her change and giving me a look that that makes me want to blush. Seth keeps the red glasses on and comes back over to the register once she leaves, leaning his elbows onto the counter and moving closer to me.

"We're still on for tonight?" He asks, pulling my hands into his.

"Yes." I sigh, "I don't know why you keep on asking."

"Just making sure you haven't changed your mind." He shrugs. "It's okay if you have." I free one of my hands from his and reach up, removing the glasses from his face, unable to take him seriously while he is wearing them. Our conversation from Sarah's earlier this week is still fresh in my mind. The idea of Seth thinking I'm ashamed or embarrassed of him twists my stomach uncomfortably and makes me want to tell him everything about me.

"I _like_ being with you and Collin, nothing has changed." I promise. "It's a party, it will be fun."

"Okay." He finally says with a firm nod of his head. "I'll see you at Jason's — Sarah already sent me the address."

"You have to call him Jason Q." I let him know. "Trust me, it's a whole thing."

"Okay," He laughs, "See you at Jason Q.'s."

Then he pecks me on the lips and takes off out the front door of the gas station. I crane my neck, looking for a car he might have driven here but I see nothing.

* * *

There were five Jason's in the Forks High School senior class. _Five_. And they had all been in classes together since preschool. They also all happened to be best friends. Jason A., Jason M., Jason C., Jason P., and Jason Q.

Jason Q. wasn't _really_ a Jason Q. He was also a Jason M. but rumor had it that the real Jason M. — _Jason Mallory _— had pushed Jason Q. off the jungle gym day one of preschool and Jason Quinton Marks had been forced to go by Jason Q. ever since. Jason had an older brother who failed out of Peninsula College and instead lived for his little brother to throw parties so he would have something to do on the weekends. I was pretty sure Jason Q. didn't care because his brother always supplied the alcohol and didn't really seem to invite many — if any — of his own friends.

While I had on a jean skirt and tight top, Sarah had lost the battle of trying to get me to wear heels tonight and I'm glad for it as we make our way through the woods to Jason Q.'s house. Sarah is half stumbling over herself while trying to find even ground to place her heeled feet and her friend Jill is doing the same. I probably like Jill Crowley the most of Sarah's friends. She was nice enough to me and seemed to stay away from the Veronica's of Forks High School.

"I'm _so_ glad you came out with us." Jill says to me, almost as if she can hear my thoughts.

"Oh, please," Sarah rolls her eyes, "Emma is going to ditch us as soon as her boyfriend gets here."

"Boyfriend?" Jill asks in surprise, looping her arm through mine and pulling me closer to her and Sarah.

"I'm not gonna ditch you guys." I roll my eyes. Sarah ignores me and turns her attention back to Jill.

"Emma has _the_ hottest boyfriend ever." Sarah explains to Jill. "His name is Seth and he is madly in love with her."

"He is _not—_" But my protests are lost over the sound of the thudding bass as we get closer to the back porch and the party. Jason Q.'s house was perfect for throwing parties. It was far enough off the road that you couldn't see the high schoolers on the front lawn and the nearest house was far enough away that they couldn't hear the loud music. Back when Jason Q.'s older brother, Austin, had been in high school, he had found a clearing in the woods, not far from his house, where everyone could park their cars. As we approach the house, I can see the party has already spilled outside. Even though it is cold, there are a good number of people leaning against the railings of the back porch and a few are adding wood to a bonfire that is a little further back from the house.

This was not the first time I had been to Jason Q.'s house. I hadn't gone to every party but I did go to enough to know what to expect. Every person we pass greets Sarah and a lot of them acknowledge Jill and me as well. Once inside the house, we squeeze our way through the crowd to make our way to the kitchen. For how cold it is outside, it is already warm in the house with the number of bodies. _The entire Junior and Senior class must be here. _And, as we walk through, I even see some Freshmen and Sophomores.

"Hey!" Dylan says from his spot near a game of beer pong as we approach. "You made it!" Jill and I both give each other a look as Sarah bolts away from the two of us and over to his side. Dylan's greeting was clearly only for her.

"It's kinda funny to see her squirm for once." Jill whispers to me, keeping her arm looped through mine. We bypass the game and head towards the fridge and the alcohol.

"Holy shit, _Emma_!" Jason Q. yells as we approach. I can see his face is already red and he looks like he has probably been pregaming since school got out at three. "Guys, _look_! Emma came to _my_ party!" Jill and Jason C. both snicker at his excitement. One of Dylan's friends, Joey, gives both Jill and I a look then rolls his eyes.

"Yup." Joey deadpans. "We _all_ see her."

"Let me get you a drink!" Jason Q. says, but instead of grabbing for the fridge, he reaches for me. I yelp in surprise as he pulls me out of Jill's grasp and tight against his side, his heavy arm draping around me.

"I've come to other parties of yours." I insist, struggling to remove myself from his grasp. I crane my head to look for Sarah but she's completely preoccupied with Dylan and the game of beer pong going on. Jason M. seems to be giving Lily a pep talk on how to make it in the cup from her spot across the table. I turn my eyes back to Jill and Joey.

_"Help her."_ Jill hisses at Joey, hitting him in the stomach. He had been staring down the front of her shirt and quickly raises his eyes once he realizes she is paying attention to him.

"Huh?" Joey asks in confusion before trailing his eyes over to me. I give him a pleading look but he just grins. "Naw," He shakes his head, grabbing a new beer from the fridge and expertly opening it against the counter before offering it to Jill. "She looks like she's having fun."

"Careful, dude," Jason C. says, "I've seen her boyfriend and you would _definitely_ lose." Jason C. pulls on Jason Q.'s arm until it's loose enough for me to duck under. I spin out of his grasp and Jason C. catches me before I fall into the island countertop.

Jason C. —_ Jason Cheney_ — is my favorite of the five Jason's, mostly because he is nothing like the other four. I'm convinced that if they didn't have the same name, he never would have ended up in their friend group. While the other four played every sport they could, Jason C. was captain of the debate club and Vice President of the science club. He was the exact opposite of the rest of his friends and arguably the nicest.

"Thanks, Jason." I say, giving him a grin

"Boyfriend?" Jason Q. asks, looking devastated.

"That would be me." Seth's voice is right behind me and I spin back around, launching myself at him. He catches me easily around the waist and pulls me close into a hug, rubbing his nose against mine. "Hey, baby." He whispers. I pull back slightly, aware of our audience, but let Seth keep me close to his side and his arms around me as we lean on the counter next to Jason C.

"Well, shit," Jill says, shaking her head in surprise, "Sarah was right. He _is_ hot and so are his friends."

"Is that _all_ girls care about." Collin sighs, plucking a brand new beer out of Joey's hand and opening it with his teeth. He spits the cap across the kitchen and it lands in an already overflowing trashcan. He leans gracefully against the island counter top and tilts his head towards Jill. "I'm more than just looks, Sweetheart."

"Col-_lin_!" I snap my fingers, leaning forward in Seth's grasp towards the two of them. Jill already has a glazed over look in her eyes. "You are _not_ sleeping with my friends. Go find Veronica or something."

"I was told we do _not_ like Veronica." Brady says loyally, snatching the beer out Collin's hand before he can even take a sip. He chugs a gulp of it and shoots me a lazy smile. "Hey, Em."

"I wasn't going to _sleep_ with him!" Jill flushes but she is still leaning closer to Collin and Collin has the biggest smirk on his face. Jason C. laughs and leans around Jason Q., pulling four more beers out of the fridge and handing them out to Collin, Seth, and I.

"Veronica's not _that_ bad." Joey mumbles, taking the last beer that Jason C. holds out.

"Just because she gave you a blow job underneath the bleaches _one time_ does not make her that great." Jason C. reminds him. Joey flushes and Jill and I snicker.

"Wait, so you _do_ have a boyfriend?" Jason Q. asks me, seeming to catch up with the conversation. "I thought you didn't date?"

"No, idiot," Jason C. rolls his eyes, "She just didn't want to date _you_." Jason Q. harrumphs but drops the subject.

"I didn't realize I had competition." Seth whispers, leaning close to my ear and placing a kiss just behind my earlobe.

"He's just messing around," I roll my eyes, "There's no competition." Jason Q. had asked me out before — more than once — but I knew he wasn't serious. He just wanted to sleep with me and I had made it clear I wasn't interested in him at all. He never acted even remotely interested in me while we were at school so I was pretty sure the alcohol was what was fueling his behavior.

"Hey, I'm Jason C." Jason Cheney interrupts, sticking his hand out to Seth. "You're friends with the Cullen's, right?"

"Yeah, I'm Seth." He seems a little taken aback but sticks his hand out to shake Jason's hand.

"My brother, Ben, was friends with Bella in high school. I was at her wedding — I was pretty sure you were there." He explains. I don't know who the Cullen's are or who Bella is but Seth nods his head and drinks some more of his beer. Once I'm convinced that everyone is preoccupied with themselves and the attention is off me, I turn around in Seth's arms and stand on the tips of my toes so I can kiss him.

"Hi." I whisper against his lips.

"Hi." He mumbles back. I abandon my beer on the counter next to him and trail my hands up his chest until I reach his cheeks, holding his face to mine while we kiss.

"I told you she was going to ditch us." I hear Sarah say from somewhere behind me. I pull back from Seth in surprise, having momentarily forgot we were in the middle of a busy party.

"Hey!" I complain, turning to face Sarah. She is leaning into Dylan's side, a huge smile on her face. Jill is laughing too. "I didn't ditch you, I'm _right here_."

"Well _mentally_, you're in Seth's pants." She snickers.

"Come on." I groan, "Look at how hot he is. I haven't seen him since Monday." I know that's not technically true but I didn't really count the gas station early that morning as seeing him. I glance up at Seth and grin at how flushed his face is. I realize he's embarrassed at being called hot. With how beautiful his entire friend group is, it has to be a common occurrence for them all to be flirted with and called hot but his embarrassment makes me wonder if that isn't the case.

"I have it on good authority you were making out in a gas station at 1:00 am." Collin says, sending me a wink and reaching over to pull on a piece of my hair. I hadn't told Sarah about Seth's gas station visit and now it's my turn to flush.

"Oh?" Sarah asks, eyeing Collin curiously.

"Besides, haven't you grown sick of Sethy yet?" Collin continues, twirling a piece of my hair around his finger. "We all know _I'm_ the hot one of the group."

_"Hands. Off." _Seth growls at Collin, slapping his hand away from me.

"Oh, Collin." I laugh, shaking my head at him. "I would _not_ consider you the hot one of the group. And besides, I think Brady is more my type." I turn my attention to the other boy. He had been mid sip of his beer and half chokes, shaking his head at me.

"Thanks a lot, Emma, turn Seth against me why don't you." Brady laughs. "_I'm_ the one whose ass he's gonna kick at work on Sunday."

I tilt my head up and press my lips to Seth's jaw, grinning up at him. He rolls his eyes but rewards me by relaxing against me. I'm content, I think I could stay right here in Jason Q.'s kitchen forever as long as Seth's here. Seth has pulled me against him so that my back rests against his chest. He's abandoned his beer and has wrapped both arms around my waist. He sighs quietly and dips his chin to rest on my shoulder.

"Are you really working on Sunday?" I ask softly. I know it's selfish for me to want to spend the whole weekend with him but we both spend so much of the week at school. I wanted to spend every second of the weekend with him that I could.

"Only at night." He promises me. "I'm all yours during the day."

"Good." I say. I finish my beer and take the red cup Sarah holds out to me. I sniff it, realize it's vodka, and cheers her before tossing it back.

"Hm." Collin wonders. "What is Emma like drunk? And are we going to find out?" He waggles his eyebrows at me. I open my mouth to answer but Sarah beats me to it.

"Emma _never_ gets drunk, at most she's slightly tipsy." Sarah rolls her eyes. "She has too much of a tolerance, she's been out-drinking her mother's boyfriends since she was fourteen." I give her a sharp look but she doesn't seem to notice.

"Oh?" Brady asks, raising his eyebrows at me. I shake my head and roll my eyes, trying to play her statement off as a joke. I know Sarah isn't trying to make me uncomfortable and she thinks fourteen year old me taking shots with my mom's friends in exchange for twenty dollar bills is funny but I don't think it is. Especially when Seth and Collin and Brady are listening and probably judging me.

"Seth and I call next game." Jason C. yells over to the group playing beer pong and I feel relieved for the distraction. I shoot him a grateful look. Jason M. gives a salute and tosses the ball, landing it in the opposing side's cup.

"Come on." I say, pulling out of Seth's arms but grabbing his hand in mine and following Jason towards the pong table. I grab two fresh beers on our way past the fridge and hand one to Seth. I'm not surprised that Brady and Collin trail behind us, Collin smiling at every pretty girl we walk past. I let go of Seth's hand as he helps Jason re-rack the cups. Seth gives me a slightly disappointed look as he seems to realize playing pong means he can't hang half on top of me.

"Is he always like this?" I ask Brady, nodding my head towards Collin who is slowly making his way towards us and introducing himself to every girl he's passing. More than a few are staring after him looking a little starstruck. Brady laughs and throws an arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his side.

"He's looking for his soulmate." He whispers, leaning in close like he's telling me a secret.

"Soulmate?" I repeat, feeling surprised. I thought Collin was just looking for a girl to sleep with tonight. What kind of sixteen year old boy wants to find a soulmate? "Does he really believe in that stuff?"

"You don't?" Brady asks. He takes my beer out of hands and pops the top off easily with one of his thumbs before handing it back to me.

"Thanks." I say, taking a sip. "I don't know if I do. Do you?"

"Have you met Sam and Emily? Or Jared and Kim?" Brady asks, rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his own beer. "Yeah, I believe in soulmates."

"And Collin thinks he's going to find his soulmate in Forks?" I ask, scanning the party and the faces of my classmates. I can't seem to imagine any of them being Collin's soulmate.

"Well, Seth found you, didn't he?" Brady says, winking at me. I flush in embarrassment at him implying that I am Seth's soulmate. There's no way that someone like Seth would get stuck with _me_ as a soulmate. I glance over at Seth. As if feeling my eyes on him, he turns to look at me, giving me the biggest smile, before shooting a ping pong ball at the opposing teams cups and missing completely. I laugh as Jason C. pats him on the back before taking his own shot and landing it in the front cup.

"Aw, Em, I leave you for _one second_ and you move on to Brady." Collin pouts, finally making his way over to us and leaning against the counter on the other side of me.

"Did you find your soulmate?" I ask him, bumping my beer bottle against his.

"No." He sighs dramatically. "Unfortunately, not all of us meet pretty girls skinny dipping and know they'll like us even if we eat all the sugar cookies." I laugh and he rewards me with a grin that I'm sure would make more than a few girls here beg to be his soulmate. I squeak as Brady lowers his hand to my waist and picks me up easily, placing me on the counter to sit between the two of them.

"Much better." Brady says, "You're too short down there."

"You guys don't have to babysit me, you know." I say, swinging my legs off the edge of the counter.

"Yeah, we do." Collin says. "We can't have you getting into trouble."

"What Collin's _trying_ to say," Brady rolls his eyes, "is that Seth isn't going to have fun if he's worried about someone falling into you or a Jason hugging you — and we want Seth to have fun — so if he knows you're with us, he won't be as worried about you."

"Huh." I take another sip of my drink, thinking about his words. I watch Seth shoot the ping pong ball and make it in a cup before he high fives Jason C. "Why do you care if Seth has fun?"

"We're brothers." Brady shrugs in explanation. He says it as if it should be obvious. The whole group of them _do_ act like brothers. I wonder if that's a Quileute thing or just a boy thing in general. I've never met a group of guys who act like such a family. But I've also never met any group like theirs…

"Seth's happiest when he's with you." Collin explains. "So why wouldn't we want him to relax and have fun at a party with you?" They're talking about Seth as if he's stressed out but he hasn't given me any indication that's the case. Early this morning in the gas station and then now at the party he has only acted like his normal carefree self but I wonder if that's not actually the case. I can think of more than one fun thing Seth and I could do that would help him relax and probably make him pretty happy but I don't say that to Collin. It's only a couple more minutes before Jason M. and Lily beat Seth and Jason C. Seth takes Collin's spot at the counter and leans into me, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Wanna go somewhere?" I whisper in his ear. He pulls away and stares wide eyed, before nodding his head. "We'll be back." I say to Collin and Brady, jumping down from the counter and grabbing Seth's hand. Collin and Brady trade a smirk and a glance and I pretend I'm not embarrassed that they definitely know what we're about to do. I glance around to see if anyone else is paying attention to us but they're not, so I pull Seth into the laundry room and lock the door behind us.

I knew for a fact that Sarah had hooked up with more than one guy in Jason Q's laundry room. There was only one window and it was high up — in no way near where anyone could see in — and the door had a lock. As soon as the door is locked, I pull Seth to me, kissing him. He picks me up immediately and sits me on top of the washing machine, standing between my legs like he had at the gas station.

I sigh against his lips and pull him as close to me as possible, tugging on the hem of his t-shirt. He pulls back from my mouth and helps me pull his shirt over his head. I study his chest. He's _perfect_.

"Earlier…when I called you hot…that made you uncomfortable?" I ask, trying to understand his thought process. I trail my hands over him, up to his shoulder and then down his arm. His muscles shudder underneath my touch.

"Not really…" He trails off, running his hands around my waist and down my sides to rest on my bare thighs. "Girls just don't usually…say things like that about me. There's always been someone else they've liked more. Collin is the popular one at school and before that it was Jake…" I can tell he's uncomfortable about his confession and my heart breaks a little at his vulnerability. I know what it's like to be a second choice. I just can't imagine any girl whose spent more than thirty seconds with Seth to not love him.

"I have never met anyone that I like as much as you." I promise him, leaning back in to kiss him. I try to show him, with my mouth, how much I care about him and how amazing I really think he is. Seth and I kissing just _works_. It's not sloppy and we don't hit noses…we just fit perfectly together. I feel even more turned on now that I can stroke his bare chest.

His fingers brush the inner part of my thighs and I open my legs more to him in anticipation. Like with most things, Seth is moving slow, like he's worried I'm going to tell him to stop. I sigh in happiness when his fingers connect with my center, brushing over my underwear. I can feel how wet I already am and the anticipation is about killing me. I remove my hands from his chest momentarily to pull up my denim skirt higher, making it easier to open my thighs to him. One of his hands moves up to the top of my underwear and hooks around the band.

"This okay?" He asks. I nod my head avidly and lift my hips to help him pull the underwear all the way down.

"Please don't stop." I respond. Thankfully, as soon as the underwear is out of the way, his fingers are on me again. He moves one finger along my wet folds sending a shock through my whole body. I moan and buck my hips forward and closer to him. He's kissing me again, along my neck and down my collarbone, following the line of my v-neck top. While he uses one hand to stroke me, the other palms by breast through my thin shirt. I can feel my nipples harden at the sensation. He slips one finger inside of me and I moan happily. He pulls it out and strokes up and down my heat, circling my clit, before slipping two fingers into me. I cry out against his mouth in pleasure. I had fingered myself before but it never felt like _this_.

"Seth." I sigh. I have to remove my hands from his chest and lean back on them as I'm worried I'm going to fall over. He chuckles quietly and removes his hand from my chest, instead choosing to stroke up and down my thigh before joining his other hand at my center. His fingers thrust in and out of me while his other hand massages my clit.

Like this, all thoughts leave my mind. I'm so hyper aware of him and his body and his magical fingers touching me. I never want to leave his side again and I can only imagine what it would feel like to have more of him in me. It only takes a couple more thrusts of his fingers before I am clenching around him and shuddering.

_"Seth!" _I moan again, pulling myself closer to him as I ride out my orgasm. I press my face into his neck, panting. His fingers lightly stroke me as I come down from my orgasm.

"Was that okay?" He asks, biting his lip when I pull back. I chuckle at his nervousness and lean up to press my lips to his. I was pretty sure my body's reaction showed how amazing that felt.

"Oh god, more than okay, that was…" I trail off, unable to describe how he made me feel. "Your turn." I say, jumping off the washing machine, turning, and pushing him to lean against the dryer. My skirt is pulled up against my stomach and I tug it down a little, feeling too self conscious not to.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to." Seth says, leaning back. I'm already reaching for the button on his pants.

"I can literally feel you through your jeans, you _really_ want to go back out there right now?" I ask.

"Well…_no_…you just don't have to if you don't want—" He cuts off with a moan as I cup him through his pants.

"I want to." I mumble, tugging on the zipper and pushing his pants down. I stand up on my tip toes for a second and press my lips to his before hesitantly reaching into his boxers. I wrap my hand around his length, stroking gently. I hadn't actually fooled around with anyone before. Sex with James had happened so quick — he hadn't even taken my shirt off — and he definitely hadn't made sure I was satisfied. But I want to do this with Seth and I want him to feel the pleasure he just gave me. I use my other hand to push his boxers down. He pulls his lips away from mine and lets out another moan as I stroke him up and down.

"What do you like?" I ask shyly, sinking down to my knees.

"God…" Seth sighs, "_Anything_ you do."

I grin up at him, already feeling wet again by the noises he's making and knowing that he is making them because of _me_. I spread the pre-cum around his head and use my hand to pump him a few times before leaning forward and taking him in my mouth. Before this moment, the idea of giving a blowjob to someone seemed scary and dirty. But, with Seth, I don't feel scared at all and it doesn't feel dirty. I feel _great _and I'm surprised by how turned on I am by the action. He's salty and sweet and I take a little more of him in my mouth before sliding back up his length. His moaning is so hot. I pull back, continuing to stroke him and look up to make sure I'm doing okay. He's leaning back against the dryer and gripping the edge with his hands. His mouth is open and his head is tilted back.

He _looks_ like he's enjoying what I'm doing.

I take his mushroom head back in my mouth and bob my head up and down, taking a little more of him each time I go back down. I know I can't fit all of him in my mouth. He's too big. So I stroke whatever is remaining of his length.

_"Fuck—" _Seth moans. "I'm not going to last, Em."

A small part of me is concerned that I'm not doing a good job because shouldn't his hands be on me? Like in my hair or something? Instead they remain gripping the dryer. But it's not like he's telling me to stop. And he's still hard so he must be turned on. And I've never made a guy make the sounds he's making.

I pull back and lick up his shaft before swirling my tongue around his head. For a split second, one of his hands comes to rest on my hair but he removes it so quick and has it back gripping the dryer that I wonder if I imagined it. I take him back in my mouth again, working my tongue around him as I move up and down.

"If you…if you don't wan't me to come in your mouth, you have to stop now." Seth gasps. I pause in my licking and stroking, keeping my mouth on him but looking up. _What is he—?_ Oh. _Oh_. The idea of him coming in mouth turns me on even more. I really wish he was touching me while I was touching him but I feel too shy to ask and the laundry room also doesn't have a practical place for _that_ position. I nod my head up and down, trying to let him know that _yes, yes I would like him to come in my mouth_. The only thing that really does is make my mouth bob on him a little more.

"Emma." He moans softly. I grip his shaft a little harder and push him further into my mouth, into the back of my throat. "Fuuuuccckkkkk…" He groans as he comes. I swallow everything and only pull back once he's gone slightly limp. I smile happily at him as I stand and he pulls me tight against him, pressing his lips to mine.

"I haven't done that before." I admit shyly once he pulls back.

"Me either." He says. I know I shouldn't be surprised since he just admitted to me that girls were usually interested in other guys instead of him, but it's just hard for me to believe that someone who looks like Seth hasn't been with a bunch of girls.

"Have you ever…um…had sex?" I ask, blushing but needing to ask anyway. I didn't want to assume he hadn't. I hadn't been fingered or given a blow job before but I wasn't a virgin. Seth hesitates for the briefest of moments but then shakes his head no. I do feel relief at that. The idea of Seth being with another girl and making those sounds he just made for me for her, hurts my heart.

"You?" He asks. I panic for the briefest of seconds. _Of course _that was going to be his next question. I didn't want to lie to him and…besides…he'd be able to tell if we had sex that I wasn't a virgin…right? I just don't want him to think I'm a slut like Veronica had suggested.

"Yeah…" I finally say slowly. "Just one time with one guy…no one important." I hope that implies to him that he's important to me even if I don't really want to say it out loud. I have a feeling almost like he's disappointed in me for a split second but he just nods his head.

"I probably should have told you how pretty you looked _before_ I took your clothes off, huh?" He says, pulling his boxers and jeans up. I laugh as he breaks the tension and find my discarded underwear, shimmying them on and pulling my skirt into place.

"I'll forgive you." I say, tossing his shirt to him. "Do you think anyone noticed we were gone?"

"Uhh…" Seth reaches out and adjusts my shirt so it's centered. "Yeah, they definitely did."

"Shit." I sigh, running my hands through my hair and trying to smooth it down. "Do I look like we've been fooling around?"

"Uhh…" Seth doesn't answer the question and looks down at his feet before back up to my eyes. "Yes?"

"Shit." I repeat, continuing to fidget with my hair and outfit.

"Come here." He sighs, pulling me back into his arms and leaning down, pressing kisses all over my face. "You look beautiful like always. Do you really care what any of them think?"

"No?" I respond, but it sounds more like a question. Most of the people here already had an opinion of me and most of those opinions probably weren't very nice. But I didn't actually care what they thought of me. Because I didn't really care about most of them. I cared what Sarah thought of me but, most likely, she would be proud of me for hooking up with Seth in the laundry room. And I cared what Collin and Brady thought of me but I knew they wouldn't accuse me of being a slut. And, besides, they were the ones who said Seth needed to destress! I liked some of my other classmates like Jason C. and Jill but I couldn't imagine them trying to embarrass me. Who really cared what the rest of them thought?

"Well, Collin can cause a big distraction and then we'll sneak out of here and no one will even be paying attention." He promises. I roll my eyes at his logic.

"You're right, I really don't even care." I laugh, "I'm sorry, I'm just being dumb."  
"No you're not," He says, grabbing my hand and pulling open the door, "Come on, this is gonna be good."

"What—?" I start to ask as I follow him out of the room and back into the party. It's still very loud but suddenly almost all the noise cuts off. For a very self-centered second, I think everyone must be staring at Seth and me, but then I spot Collin who has now climbed onto the top of the ping pong table and gathered the attention of the entire party.

"I just have to let everyone know—" Collin calls loudly, keeping everyone's attention on him as Seth and I expertly cut through the groups of people, no one paying any mind to us or where we are coming from. "Sarah Adam's is the_ love of my life_!"

"Oh my god." I choke out a gasp of laughter. _What is he doing? _There are multiple 'awws' that go through the crowd and cat calls from various guys. I stand on my toes to find Sarah. She's standing on the ground next to the ping pong table and doubled over laughing, sloshing her cup of vodka all over the place. She scrambles up onto the table next to Collin.

"I just have to let everyone know," Sarah calls out just as loud, taking both of Collin's hands in her own, "That I cannot love you because _Brady Fuller is the love of my life_!" She dramatically wrenches her hands from Collin's and holds them out to Brady who had been laughing, standing next to the table. Brady's eyes widen into his trademark deer in the headlights look as he glances around in a panic. Some of the underclassmen who clearly don't know Sarah and her antics gasp but most others laugh.

"I'll be the love of your life, Collin!" Jill calls from somewhere in the crowd waving her drink in the air. He shoots her a grin and a wink. And then the loudness and the talking start up again. Collin jumps gracefully down from the table while Dylan helps Sarah. She's leaning in close to him and looks to be talking a mile a minute. He's laughing and nodding his head at whatever it is she's saying. I yelp as Collin wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me against him, forcing me to drop Seth's hand.

"How was that for a distraction?" He whispers in my ear.

"How did you know—?" I start, staring up at him in confusion. It had been a great distraction but how did he know that was what Seth had suggested. I was positive Seth hadn't taken his phone out to text him. Collin gives me a wink and a squeeze before releasing me.

"Oh, _Jilllllll_!" He calls, sauntering away from our group and towards where Jill had yelled to him minutes before. I roll my eyes at his retreating figure and turn back to our group. Thankfully, it seems Jason Q. has found different people to hang out with since he's nowhere in sight. Seth is talking with Jason C., Jason A., and Lily. I wrap my arms around Seth's waist and he pulls me against him.

"I'm going to go get us drinks." I say, leaning up to nuzzle the side of his face. He seems to glance over me for a split second before nodding his head pressing a quick kiss to my lips.

"I need another drink too." Brady says, grabbing my hand as I start to walk away. I nod my head and let him lead the way, the groups of partygoers parting much easier to let him through than they would have if it was just me.

"Um, Brady?" I ask as we get closer to the fridge.

"Yeah?" He asks, tugging me a little closer and angling his head towards me to let me know he's listening.

"Earlier…when we were talking about soulmates…you didn't really mean what you said about Seth—" I start but stop in surprise when he raises a finger to his mouth. No one who is near us is paying any attention and we aren't talking that loud but I wait until he's tugged me past the kitchen and into the dinning room. There aren't as many people in here as there are in the kitchen and living room.

"What's up?" He asks, acting like what just happened wasn't weird. I decide not to press it. Maybe someone was near us listening or maybe I was talking louder than I realized. I do have a slight buzz from the beer and vodka I've had.

"What you said earlier or implied really…" I trail off. "You don't think I'm Seth's soulmate, do you?"

"Why does it matter if I do?" He asks, cocking his head to the side.

"That's like…a lot of pressure." I admit. The thought had been in the back of my mind since Brady had made the comment earlier and then Collin seemed to reiterate it. It didn't change how I felt about Seth but it made me feel guilty knowing I was lying to Seth about where I lived and my life. _What if in some weird twist of fate I really was his soulmate?_ And _this_ was how I treated him? "Seth doesn't think I'm his soulmate, right?"

"Where's this coming from?" Brady asks, shaking his head and ignoring my question. "Did something happen?"

"No, no." I assure him. "I just…I don't know if soulmates are real or not but, if they are, I don't think I'm Seth's soulmate."

"You make him really happy and I think he makes you happy too." He says. "What's wrong with thinking he's meant to be with you?"  
"I…think…he probably deserves better than—" I swallow the lump in my throat.

"She's fucking fine. Tell him to chill out." Brady snaps suddenly, whipping his head back towards the party. I jump in surprise and lean around him to glance through the opening of the dinning room. I can't see Seth or Sarah from where we are. But I can see Collin, standing at least a whole head above most of the other students. Jill is standing next to him talking but he's staring right at me.

"Brady…"

"Sorry, sorry." He apologizes. "I _do_ think your Seth's soulmate but that shouldn't stress you out because what does my opinion matter anyways?"

"Let's just get drinks." I shake my head and tug on his hand to pull him back into the kitchen. All the good beer is gone but we grab three cans and head back over to the group. Seth is where we left him but looks unbelievably tense. He relaxes slightly when I hand him a beer and wrap my arms around his waist, leaning into his side.

"What's wrong?" He asks, leaning down and nuzzling the side of my face. I kinda want to ask him the same thing. I know there is no way he could have had any idea what I said to Brady — we were too far away and it was too loud — but I still have a weird feeling that he just knows what we were talking about.

"Nothing." I assure him, opening my can of beer and taking a big sip, hoping to calm my nerves. Seth studies me closely for a couple moments and lightly strokes the bit of exposed skin at my waist between my shirt and the skirt.

"Are you sure?" He asks. I lean up and press my lips to his with the hope of distracting him. It seems to work because when he pulls back he has a grin on his face.

Maybe I did believe in soulmates.

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**This was the longest chapter I have ever written for a story! I hope you guys liked and didn't get bored part way through…I was so inspired while writing and it just kept going and going and going lol**


	6. Chapter 6

**So, many of you know that I write out of order…it's a horrible curse I swear. But the following chapter is actually the second chapter I wrote in this story (following chapter one) and I was just so enthralled with the idea of this story and these characters that I had to go back and fill in the blanks. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review. :)**

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I wake in a start from the loudness coming from outside. It's always loud in Marietta Mobile Home Courts but this is different. It's right outside our trailer. I groan in frustration as I hear the trailer door open then the click clack of my mom's heels against the linoleum floors. I wonder if she's alone for the briefest of moments but then I hear a crash as our one lamp falls and shatters to the ground.

_"Trevor!" _I hear my mom hiss and then she breaks into giggles, as if it's so funny that her boyfriend has broken one of our only personal belongings. Then there are more steps coming into the trailer — these ones boots — loud and heavy against the ground.

"Do you have beer or no because the Packie is already closed." A voice grumbles, before opening and closing the fridge. I knew there had been a twelve pack in there yesterday and the man with the grumbling voice must have found what he was looking for because I hear a can being cracked open, more thuds of his boots, and then the door slams behind him as he exits the trailer. I hear the click clack again and then another slam of the door. _Okay, so they've left. Thank—_

Music starts playing outside and I groan again. I hear another voice, this one a woman's, laughing. I have a math test first period tomorrow. I pull my phone out from inside my pillow case and check the time. 1:15 am. _Damn_. I tuck the phone carefully back into the case again before getting up and shoving my feet in my sneakers. I knew there was no way I was going to risk my mom finding out I had a — _only slightly used_ — iPhone that she'd be able to pawn for beer money. I stomp out of my room and down the narrow hallway, stepping on glass from the lamp, making crunching noises with my sneakers.

_One thing at a time. _I tell myself and ignore the lamp, instead opening the door and heading out front. My mother is sitting perched on Trevor's lap, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Trevor's hand is dangerously low on her waist and while she seems to be trying to get his attention and entertain him, he is having a conversation with a man I don't recognize. I notice the man is wearing big combat boots. _Oh, so this is who was stomping through my trailer._ There are a couple of other people lingering around. Two women are passing a bottle of whiskey back and forth and dancing to the music. A third man is staring hungrily at both of them, drinking his own bottle of whiskey. Boots notices me first and I hold back a shudder as he eyes me up and down. His attention draws Trevor's and my mom's.

"Emma!" My mom gleefully proclaims, jumping up and stumbling towards me. She wraps me in her arms and I carefully pull back as I'm worried she will light my hair on fire with her cigarette. "Wanna hang? We still got some beer." She hiccups and continues to grin at me.

"No, I'm good." I bite my tongue, willing myself not to scream and fight with her. Playing along with her delusional life usually bode better for me. She became too defensive when I tried to fight with her. "I actually have a test tomorrow morning, can you guys go somewhere else?"

"All the bars are closed, baby." My mom frowns, glancing worriedly at Trevor and Boots — both of whom are now honed in on our conversation and me. I fidget nervously under their gazes.

"I just can't sleep when you guys are loud like this." I explain, swallowing the angry words that I want to say.

"Right…well…I…" My mom drops her cigarette on the ground, squishing it with the toe of her heels before turning back towards Trevor and Boots. "Trevor, we can go to your place?" I appreciate that she even asked because part of me didn't think she would care enough to even consider moving the party but I know from the look on Trevor's face that they aren't going anywhere. He doesn't even have to say anything in response. My mom turns back to face me, her smile a little less bright than before. "I'm sorry, baby, we'll keep it down okay?"

"Fine, whatever." I mumble, pulling my arm from her grasp and starting to head back towards the trailer.

"Well come on now, you don't have to leave, Sweetheart." A deep voice hums. I jump in surprise, not having realized that Boots has gotten up and inserted himself in the direct path between me and the trailer door. "You can still party with us."

"She's just a kid." Trevor's voice warns but he's still sitting on the chair and preoccupied by my mother who has already taken a seat on his lap again.

"Well she doesn't _look_ like a kid." His voice is teasing but I still don't like it. I side step him and start to walk past. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" He snaps, no longer sounding teasing. He grips hard on my arm and pulls me back towards him.

"Ow!" I yelp, trying to pull away.

"Come on, baby, I'm just trying to have some fun." Boots shakes his head and pulls me even closer.

"Hey!" My mom snaps, seeming to realize that her friend isn't being so friendly.

"Get the fuck off of me!" I yell, shoving him hard in the chest. I know that this man must have drank a lot because one strong hit from me is enough to cause him to drop my arm and stumble back in surprise. I power walk back to the trailer ignoring the stinging in my arm from where he grabbed me.

_"You bitch."_ Boots snarls from behind me and catching me by surprise. I suppose it's my fault. I hadn't even considered that he would follow me back into the trailer. He shoves me the rest of the way through the door and I stumble to the ground. My left palm digging into the shards of lightbulb and lamp on the floor. Out of instinct I crawl forward and pull myself up to my feet, rushing down the short hallway in an attempt to put as much distance between us as possible. I slam the door to my bedroom shut and quickly lock it. I can hear the others from outside yelling — my mom the loudest of them all.

"Fuck, _FUCK_." I mutter, staring at my hand and the blood. I'm shaking like crazy from the fear and adrenaline and it's only then that I realize I'm crying. I dive onto my bed and grab my pillow, pulling the phone out from where I had safely hidden it. I start to dial Sarah but stop. Because what the hell is _she_ going to do? I hit the next number in my contacts.

"What's wrong?" He answers on the first ring. Because_ of course_ he does.

_"SETH!" _I shriek into the phone, partly because I don't know what to even say and partly because Boots has just started slamming on the door and I know it's not going to hold. _Why did I trap myself in here?_ "Stop, stop." I sob. I realize Seth hasn't actually said anything back to me and I pull the phone back from my ear. It shows the call has been ended. I start to cry even more at that. I don't think Boots is actually going to kill me but I know he's going to hurt me and, I think back to laying in James Stowe's bunk while he had sex with me and I didn't say no, and wonder if this is going to be one of those times. The door snaps open, splintering the wood and the flimsy frame that had provided the tiniest bit of privacy for me in these thin walls. I know there is no way I will ever be able to fix the door now.

"Now you listen here, girl!" Boots growls at me and I scramble as far into the room as I can. My room is really only the size of a twin mattress with about a foot of space on each side. I wedge myself in the far corner between the mattress and the wall.

"Stay away from her!" My mom is also yelling. She's waving the broken lamp and hitting Boots with it. "Johnny, leave her alone!" So Boots had a name. He pauses for a second and even though I'm still shaking and crying, I make myself stop screaming, hoping he will forget I am there. Johnny whips around and slaps my mother across the face, knocking her to the ground. In one fluid motion he has reached across the small space in the bedroom and grabbed me by the hair, dragging me across the bed and pushing me down face first. I start to scream again but it is quickly cut off as he pushes my face into the mattress.

"You think you're gonna talk to me like that." Johnny yells in my ear. His hands are on either side of my arms, squeezing them tight and holding them in place. I try to kick him and manage to get one good kick into his side before he leans on my legs, effectively trapping me in place. "Your momma should have taught you some respect."

Johnny is suddenly completely lifted off of me and I gasp for air, scrambling up and away from him on the bed. Even though I had called him, seeing Seth standing there and holding this man against the splintered door in a chokehold surprises me. The shock of him actually being here and the utter relief I feel at seeing him makes me stop screaming and crying altogether.

"You fucking _touch_ her again, you _look_ at her again, you _breathe_ in her direction again, I will fucking _kill you_." Seth is roaring in the older man's face. I have never seen Seth mad before or even raise his voice. Johnny looks terrified and seems to be struggling to nod in agreement and breathe at the same time.

"Seth." Another voice warns and I notice Embry leaning casually against the wall right outside my door. He's dressed like Seth in just a pair of basketball shorts. Seth drops Johnny onto the ground and the second his eyes turn to me curled up near the head of my bed, his entire body softens. I feel like he is trying to make himself seem as unthreatening as possible because he drops low near the foot of my bed and holds his hands out in peace. It's unnecessary because I could never be scared of Seth, even if he managed to hold a guy as big as Boots by his neck with one hand. I crawl forward and fall into his arms, letting him wrap me up close to him. His comfort makes me start crying all over again, no longer in fear but just in shock and relief.

"I'm sorry I took so long to get here." He chokes which surprises me. I was pretty sure it couldn't have been more than three minutes since I had called him. And I hadn't even told him where I was.

"My mom?" I murmur into his neck in question, wrapping my legs around his waist when he stands up.

"She's fine." He explains, hugging me even closer. "Quil's trying to convince her to come with us but she won't budge." I wonder how many of them are here seeing my trailer and thinking so much less of me.

"Well _that_ guy is an asshole." Leah says, stalking into the room. She is wearing just a t-shirt dress even though it is freezing outside. "Embry's taking care of him, Jake will be here soon with the car, where's your stuff, kid?" I stare at her in shock until Seth reaches his hand up and runs his fingers over my hair. I know the action is meant to be comforting but I hiss in hurt as I realize my head is throbbing from where Boots — _Johnny_ — had grabbed me by the hair.

"Shit, sorry, sorry." Seth sounds pained. His hand flutters around for a second, trying to decide where to place it that won't hurt me. He settles for my waist and sighs miserably. "You're coming with us, Leah can pack you a bag."

"I keep everything I own in my duffle." I explain and Seth's frown deepens.

"Everything?" Leah asks, leaning around us and grabbing the duffle bag sitting half under the bed. My coat is laying on the ground next to the bed and she picks that up as well. I didn't have very many clothes and almost all of them were folded neatly into the old Nike duffle. It wasn't like I had an armoire to keep my clothes in and having everything within reach had just always seemed easier.

"I need my keychain too." I explain. Leah follows my gaze and grabs the wolf keychain Seth had given me. I had stuck a thumb tack in the wall next to my bed and hung the small charm from there. Seth's expression smoothes out a bit. She takes it from the wall and hands it to me. I clutch it tightly in my right hand to make sure I don't drop it.

"Okay, let's go." She says, slinging the bag over her shoulder and starting to move around us to head back out of the room.

"Sarah's phone, Sarah's phone." I quickly remind Seth between my sniffles. I was not going to lose that tonight.

"On it." Leah says, pivoting and snatching up the phone from where it had fallen on the ground, shoving it in the bag and heading out of the room.

"I'm fine to be here." I say suddenly, though I realize I probably should have spoken up before Leah had grabbed all my belongings. "As long as he's gone, I can stay. Really, I'm fine." Seth is already shaking his head before I am done speaking and carrying me down the hallway.

"No way." He says. "Please don't argue with me." I don't want to argue with Seth especially after he just rescued me from…I don't even know what. I also have never once _wanted_ to be in this trailer so I just lean my head back against his chest and let him carry me out.

"Emma, Emma!" My mom is crying in our tiny entry way/kitchen/living room. "I'm so sorry, he's never done anything like that before, I don't know what happened." I can see her cheek and jaw are still bright red and already look puffy but, other than that, she looks fine which is why I don't have any problem ignoring her and letting Seth carry me all the way out of the trailer, Quil following behind us. Trevor is leaning against the side of the trailer, smoking a cigarette and ignoring us completely.

"Hey, Shorty." Quil greets me, as if this is just a casual day. "You good?" He asks Seth and I glance up at Seth's face warily. He looks more serious than I have ever seen him before and incredibly angry. If he wasn't lightly stroking my side, I would probably think he was mad at me.

"Nope." Seth says simply, not elaborating and I wonder if he actually _is_ mad at me. Leah has completely disappeared but Jake is sitting in the drivers seat of an SUV. Embry is in the passengers seat and, before I can even protest, Seth slides into the backseat, me still straddling his lap. Quil materializes next to us and Jake starts driving.

"Has she been shaking the whole time?" Jacob asks from the front seat and I know he is talking about me since I'm the only 'she' in the car.

"Yup." Seth answers, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. I hadn't even realized I was shaking but now that I'm aware, I try to stop but can't seem to. "I think she's in shock."

"Dr. Cullen said he'll be all set up by the time we get there." Jake explains. "Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Bells have already left." I shoot up from Seth's chest, leaning back so I can look him in the eyes. He seems surprised by my sudden movement and pauses in his rubbing on my arms.

"No hospitals." I choke out suddenly, closing my eyes so I don't have to look at him. "I don't have health insurance." I mumble the second part shamefully. I could never afford a hospital visit and, unless I was dying, I had no plans of ever stepping foot in one.

"We're making a house call." Jake answers before Seth can and I open my eyes, choosing to avoid looking at Seth altogether and simply turning my head to look at Jacob through the rearview mirror. He's watching me cautiously and I realize, like with most things in this group, Jake is in charge. So I decide my pleas to either be brought back to the trailer or potentially allowed to stay on Seth's couch would be best directed to him.

"I'm fine, really." I promise. "I don't want to cause anymore problems. I can go home."

"Emma, your hand has glass in it and has not stopped bleeding, you're shaking like crazy, and your nails have been digging into Seth this entire time like you're scared he's going to disappear." Jake says calmly, turning his attention back to the road. I wonder how he could possibly know about my hand since he hasn't even fully looked at me but once I remove my nails from Seth's biceps and look at it, I realize he is correct. It doesn't really hurt that bad, just stings, but I can tell, even in the dim light of the car, that there is a lot of small pieces of glass from the lamp lodged in it. "We're going to see a friend who owes us and he's going to clean your hand and make sure you're okay. No arguing and no insurance necessary."

I choose to ignore him and look back at Seth instead. I think this is quite possibly the last night I will ever spend with Seth. He probably feels bad right now for everything he saw in that trailer but I know once I am bandaged up, he is going to walk away so quick. I can't blame him either — phone calls from screaming girls in trailer parks at one in the morning is not what he signed up for. Seth wipes at my tears and places a kiss on my forehead, hugging me close.

"Casa de la Cullen." Quil mumbles from besides me and I turn my attention to him. He's staring out the window at the largest house I have ever seen in person. Every single light is on even though it is two in the morning and I wonder if they were awake before Jake called and told them we were coming or if they've turned every light on in the house just for me. Jake puts the car in park and all four guys are out of the vehicle very quick. I have to grip Seth with my good hand to keep from tipping — not an easy thing to do when I'm trying to also hold my wolf keychain. The front door opens before we even reach the steps, revealing a man and woman.

"I'm going to go." The woman says. "But I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am that this happened and to please let us know if you need anything, ever." The woman is speaking to Jacob but she turns her eyes to Seth at the end.

"Thank you, Esme." Seth says. The woman gives me a quick glance and heads past us out of the house and we all go inside. First Jacob, then Quil, then Seth holding me, and finally Embry. It's not that I have a problem with Quil or Embry but I do wish that it was Collin and Brady that Jacob had brought with him. I hadn't spent any significant time with Quil and Embry but Collin and Brady had quickly become two of the most important people in my life. I feel guilty for thinking that when they've all been so nice to me and literally came to my rescue tonight. But it doesn't change the fact that I wish Collin and Brady were with me right now too, especially in this stranger's mansion.

"I have everything set up in the kitchen." The man says. I feel a little sick. My entire trailer could fit in their foyer.

The doctor has set up in the kitchen with medical supplies on the sprawling island counter top. Seth takes a seat on one of the barstools at the end of the counter. He shifts me carefully so I am sitting facing the counter as well with my back pressed against his chest. I want to protest that I can sit by myself but I wonder if I really can and decide I should just enjoy any time I get with Seth. One of the most beautiful women I have ever seen is leaning against the stove, watching us. Another man, different from the doctor, with bronze hair is sitting in his own chair diagonal from Seth and I.

"Hey, Edward." Seth sighs. He's staring at me again, frowning, and I have to look away to avoid crying. He just looks so…_upset_ with me and it's just making this entire night feel worse. I turn my attention back to the man who had greeted us at the front door.

"Hello, Emma." The man says. "I am Dr. Cullen, would you mind if I looked at your hand?" I know he is directing the question at me but once he has finished asking, he looks directly at Jacob. Jake nods his head and when I hold out my hand, he takes it gently in his own.

"I'm going to have to disinfect it and then clean it, removing all the shards of lightbulb." He explains. Again, I know he is talking to me, but he is still looking at Jacob. "It's going to hurt but if we don't remove the glass it's going to hurt more in the long run and will probably cause an infection."

"That's fine." I say, drawing his attention back to me. "Thank you."

The doctor gets to work on my hand. It doesn't hurt _that bad_, mostly just the liquid he uses to disinfect stings. I do my best to control my reactions because I notice that, after the first few times of me flinching, it's best for me not to. They all tense when I flinch, even Edward and the blonde woman, so I bite my lip and will myself to stay as still as possible. I wonder how the doctor can even see the glass. He is perfectly steady but has no ring light or magnifying glass.

_"Careful!" _Jacob snaps when I can't stop my cringe as Dr. Cullen removes a particularly large piece of glass from my hand.

"Jake." Both Seth and I say at the same time — me in surprise that he would yell at the doctor like that and Seth in a warning tone.

_"He's helping."_ Seth says to Jake.

"If she wasn't Seth's, we probably wouldn't help her." The pretty blonde says, crossing her arms and looking pointedly at Jake. Jake growls slightly and she surprises me by growling right back. I wouldn't think that someone as pretty as this girl could make that snarling noise but I shrink closer to Seth at the sound of it.

"Of course we would help." The doctor says, holding up his hand which cuts off the growling from both parties. "We are happy to assist as a show of good faith on our part." I don't know what _that_ means but I can tell Jacob is pleased because, while he still doesn't take his eyes off of the doctor, he has relaxed slightly. Embry has his eyes locked on Edward and Quil has his eyes locked on the blonde. "Perhaps you should go to your room, Rose?"

"I find that being outnumbered is a foolish thing." The blonde — _Rose_ — says.

"You're already outnumbered." Jacob points out, "Four to three." Edward and Rose both roll their eyes in tandem.

"I am confident that Seth will not attack us." Edward says.

"And I am confident that he will protect his mate, giving me enough time to dispose of—"

"Rosalie." Dr. Cullen says, sharper this time. She lets out an annoyed huff and stomps out of the room. I don't really know what any of their conversation is about but I know I am stressing everyone out and I just feel so, damn _guilty_. I don't regret calling Seth but I regret causing problems for everyone. _God, why do I always cause problems? _I start crying softly again at that point and Embry growls at the doctor as if he is the reason for my tears. Dr. Cullen pauses immediately, staring at Jacob, waiting for permission to continue.

"What's wrong, is it your hand?" Seth asks franticly, moving his eyes between my face, my hand, and the doctor. I shake my head no.

"She's ashamed." A voice says and I realize it's Edward. "She thinks you aren't going to like her anymore now that you know where she lives." I wonder what expression must be on my face for this stranger to be able to read exactly what I'm thinking.

"What?" Seth makes a pained noise and wraps his arms around my waist even tighter.

"She also thinks you're mad at her."

_"What!" _He repeats again.

"All you're doing is giving her one word answers and she's never seen you frown before…of course she thinks you're mad at her." Edward explains and I feel myself flush. I don't even know how he knows this but he's correct. I wipe at my tears with my free hand.

"Em, I could _never_ be mad at you." Seth whispers. "I'm mad at myself that I let this happen. _This is my fault_." I'm surprised at that because how could any of this be Seth's fault?

"What are you talking about?" I ask, "I didn't know him and I didn't think he would attack me but I shouldn't have assumed. It's my fault."

"I'm so sorry this happened." He chokes out and, for the first time that night, I realize just how upset he is but that he's not upset with me — he's just mad at the situation. I used to be mad at my situation too but it had been eighteen years and I didn't have any energy left to allocate being angry about my life. "Thank you for calling me…_god_, if you hadn't…"

Seth presses his face closer to me and I tilt my head back, allowing him access to my throat, knowing he is seeking comfort. I don't have a lot to offer but I can offer that. I know how much he likes my neck and he is always so content to press his lips or his nose to my pulse point. Jacob looks surprised by the action but Edward lets out a laugh.

"She's a quick learner." Edward says, shooting me a grin. "Are you _sure_ she doesn't know how you guys operate?" Seth pulls back from my neck in surprise, as if he hadn't even realized what I was doing or how he was reacting. He glances at me and then at Jake and then back at me again. I'm finally rewarded with a grin from Seth, though his eyes don't look quite as happy as they usually do.

"Okay, done with your hand." Dr. Cullen says and, when I look back at him, sure enough my left hand is all bandaged up. "I'm going to give you some cleaning supplies and more bandages but I'd like to see you in a week, just to make sure you're healing okay. We can do that here or at the hospital — wherever you would feel more comfortable."

"Sounds good." Jake says with a nod but I can tell even he is less tense than he had been a few minutes ago now that the doctor and the tweezers are away from my hand. "Thanks, Doc."

"Can I also…" Dr. Cullen trails off. "Can I check your arms?"

I had been carefully trying to draw away the attention from myself and, even though my arms were burning and sore, I had ignored the pain and been careful not to react to it. I didn't want to cause anymore stress for anyone. Seth makes a pained noise in the back of his throat but lets me pull away and stand up next to the counter and next to the doctor. I had been wearing just a t-shirt with my sweatpants to bed but the sleeves were long — almost to my elbows. I carefully pull the sleeve of my left arm up to my shoulder.

Quil hisses and I know it doesn't look good. My upper arm has multiple bruises already darkening and in the shape of fingers from where Johnny grabbed me so forcefully. Dr. Cullen lightly touches my arm and examines the bruises. He does the same with my right arm and I don't even bother looking, knowing it must look the same as the left.

"Just some heavy bruising." The Doctor assures me. "You'll be sore and they'll take a few weeks to heal but you're going to be okay." I nod my head gratefully.

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen." I say and he offers me a kind smile. He glances behind me and his smile slowly slips.

_"Seth."_ He sighs, "She's going to be okay." I turn around and am surprised that Seth looks like he's going to cry. His eyes are filled with tears that haven't fallen. I wrap my arms around him in a hug, something much easier to do now that I am standing and he's sitting.

"I'm okay, really." I promise, "Because of _you_, because of _all of you_. Thank you." Seth nods his head against my collarbone and, when he finally pulls back, he still looks miserable but not quite as upset as before. The look on his face is almost too much for me to handle, especially since I know that I have caused it. _What if something like this happens again?_ I can't be responsible for causing him anymore pain or making him look like this. It's incredibly selfish of me to drag him down with me. _I'm going to have to break up with Seth_. I decide.

"Don't do _that_, Emma." Edward's voice is stern and I jump in surprise, glancing over at him wearily. I know I didn't say my thought out loud and I wonder if he could possibly be talking about something different than from what I am thinking. _I'm sure my mom will want to skip town soon anyways and if I just break up with him now then I can save him any future devastation from the destruction I cause. I can—_

"Emma." Edward snaps and I flinch again, attempting to duck behind Seth and almost falling. Seth wraps an arm around my waist to catch me and pulls me against his side. While Quil, Embry and Jake all turn their attention to Edward, Seth turns his attention to me with a questioning look on his face. I drop my eyes.

"Hey!" Jacob growls at Edward. "Stay out of her head!"

"Emma," Edward repeats, although much softer, "_That_ is not going to solve anything, _that_ is going to make things even worse."

"What part of stay out of her head don't you understand, Leech?" Jacob snaps.

"_I'm_ trying to help." Edward defends. "You know I can't just _not_ listen to her thoughts." I glance at Seth and he sighs slightly, glancing back and forth between Edward and I. Edward shakes his head back and forth, "Maybe now is not the best time—"

"Edward is a mind reading vampire but he's not going to hurt you." Seth says in one breath. Quil groans and shakes his head and Embry breathes in loudly through his teeth. I'm not one hundred percent sure if he's telling the truth but I glance at Edward's smiling face and figure that a mind reading vampire is probably the best explanation. "Carlisle and Rosalie and the rest of their family are vampires too and we can talk about this whenever you'd like."

"Okay." I respond, nodding my head once, then I turn to look back at Edward. "I won't." I mutter, letting him know I have taken breaking up with Seth off the table. He gives me a soft smile.

"Her mind is actually very peaceful. Sure, she's upset by the events of tonight, but her thoughts are still very kind. Her mind reminds me a lot of Seth's actually." Edward says thoughtfully, leaning on the counter and studying me. "She's not even _scared_ of me, she trusts Seth so implicitly that when he says I won't hurt her, she believes him."

I did trust Seth implicitly and I knew he wouldn't have brought me here if he thought Dr. Cullen or Edward or Rosalie would hurt me. But I have also just watched the way the three pale vampires have treated the four boys and how Dr. Cullen has frozen at any sound of displeasure from Jake. They may be vampires, but these four boys are _something_. Edward barks out a laugh and I wonder if I _should_ be scared of him.

"_You_, on the other hand," Edward turns his gaze to Jake looking not as nice, "Are always screaming in your mind and it gives me a headache." Jake's hard face softens into a boyish grin.

"I just want to make sure you're hearing me over Emma and Seth's peaceful minds while I'm thinking about your wife." Jake laughs. Edward narrows his eyes and growls.

"Fascinating." Dr. Cullen murmurs. "You know, Seth, I would love to study the imprint connection more if—"

"And that's our cue to leave." Jake says, "When the vamps want us to be test subjects, that's how I know we've been here for way too long."

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen." I say to the doctor. Even if he really is a vampire, he still pulled glass out of my hand.

"You are most welcome, Emma." He nods at me. "Please, call me Carlisle."

"Thanks, Carlisle." Jacob says, he gives a nod to both Embry and Quil and the two silently disappear out of the kitchen. Seth stands up and I can tell from the angle that he reaches for me that he thinks he is going to carry me out of this house. I side step and Seth sighs but wraps his arms around me in a way that I can still walk on my own. "We'll owe you for this." Jake sounds uneasy about that and I try to shrink into Seth's grasp even more, hoping Jake will forget it's my fault he will owe a vampire a favor. If that's really what Carlisle is.

"You have done much for my coven over the years, Jacob." Carlisle says firmly. "I am happy to do one small thing for you and your pack. Besides, like Rosalie said, she's Seth's."

"Yeah, yeah, Seth's your favorite, we get it." Jake rolls his eyes and turns his gaze to the second vampire. "Tell Bella I said hi, okay?"

"You can always come visit her yourself." Edward says, "I know she would like that very much." Jake hesitates slightly then nods his head.

"Thank you, Carlisle." Seth says.

As soon as we're back in the SUV, I finally relax. Seth has pulled me across his lap in the backseat again which I don't even argue him on. His fingers are tracing designs across my arms and his face is pressed into my hair. In random intervals, his lips press into my forehead.

"Are they really vampires?" I whisper as we cross into La Push.

"Yeah." Seth says, pausing in his tracing for a moment.

"I'm not ready to talk about that yet." I tell him truthfully.

"That's fine." He responds, resuming his tracing.

I'm asleep before we reach Seth's house.


	7. Chapter 7

I awake with a jerk. I know immediately I am not in my trailer because I feel deliriously warm. When our trailers heater _does_ decide to work, it never leaves me feeling this comfortable. I try to remember where I am and how I got here. All it takes is for me to shift slightly to remember everything. My back is pressed against Seth's chest and I am trapped in a cocoon of his arms.

"I'm sorry." Seth mumbles, "I know I should have slept on the couch or the ground, I just didn't want to." He starts to pull back and I make a disappointed noise, holding his arms close around me.

"Don't you dare." I mumble tiredly. "What time is it?"

"A little after five." He explains, "You've only been asleep for a few hours."

"I'm really sorry about what happened." I sigh, starting to wake up a little more. "And I'm sorry you had to see that trailer, I really didn't want you to."

"I meant what I said at the Cullen's." He says, kissing my neck lightly and making me relax even more against him. "I'm not mad and you don't have anything to be sorry about. And I've never cared that you live in a trailer, I just care that you're safe." I tense for a moment then roll over in his arms so I can face him.

"What do you mean _never cared_?" I ask.

"Sarah told me you lived in that trailer park before our first date." He explains softly. "Before I asked you out that day, she called me and told me you lived in a trailer park and if I had any problems with that or thought less of you for it then I could take a hike and she'd block my number."

"How come you never said anything?" I ask in surprise.

"Because I knew it was a sensitive subject and you weren't ready to tell me." He shakes his head slightly but pulls me closer and begins trailing his fingers up and down my back. I shiver and blink a couple times, digesting his words. He knew the whole time And he never said _anything_? And he still hung out with me and made me feel special and cared for? Seth really was one of a kind.

"You really don't care?" I have to ask again. To clarify what he's already said.

"Emma." He sighs. "I adore you. Where you live doesn't change that."

"You adore me?" I repeat, still feeling dazed by the conversation.

"Uh, _yeah_, have I done something to not make you think that?" He asks. Knowing now that every interaction I've had with Seth since our first date has been with him knowing where I live and where I come from, changes my whole perspective. I really thought he could only care about me and treat me a certain way if he didn't know I lived in a trailer park — if he thought I was a Perfect Fork's Girl. That very clearly wasn't the case. I push my head closer to his and press my lips to his mouth.

I adored Seth too. More than I thought I ever could.

I kiss him hungrily and squeal in happiness when he rolls onto his back and pulls me to straddle his waist.

"Shh." He shushes me but I can see his grin in the moonlight. "My mom is down the hall."

"Sorry." I murmur, leaning forward and attaching my mouth back to his. I only stop once I feel his fingers tugging at the hem of my t-shirt. I sit back on his stomach and pull the t-shirt over my head before dropping it to the ground. He appraises me for a second, running his hands around my waist and up my stomach before pulling me back against him. The feeling of both our bare chests against each other warms my whole body. I kiss down his neck and chest, scooting myself backwards until I can feel his erection against my center. I grind against him and he lets out a soft moan.

"Shh." I chastise mockingly, kissing my way back up his chest, towards his mouth. He growls playfully and flips us back over again so I'm on my back. I jerk my mouth back from Seth's suddenly, unable to hold back the hiss of pain as my left arm presses into the bed between us.

"Shit, _shit_—" Seth is up and off of me, standing five feet away before I can even try to control my reaction. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"I'm fine." I promise, sitting up quickly and reaching out to him, wanting to pull him back to me and the bed. When he doesn't move back any closer, I drop my hand. Logically, I know his reaction doesn't have anything to do with him not wanting me but the rejection still hurts and I can't help it when my eyes fill up with tears.

"Em, I'm not going to fool around with you when you're hurt." He says, shaking his head but walking back over to the bed and sitting next to me. I nod my head in understanding and try to blink back my tears, willing myself not to cry. He picks up my shirt from the ground, handing it to me, and I tug it back on. "Please be honest with me so I can be careful with you, where are you hurt?"

"My upper arms are so sore." I admit. "He grabbed me really hard and just…kept…squeezing." Seth clenches his jaw and I debate not telling him anymore but he nods his head, encouraging me to go on. "My palm just kinda stings but it's okay. And, um, my scalp is just sore too. Johnny grabbed my hair and dragged me across the bed…"

"That's his name?" Seth asks evenly.

"Yeah." I nod my head. "I think he's friends with my mom's boyfriend. I had never seen him before."

"I'm so sorry, Emma." He shakes his head. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you again."

"I know." I sigh, feeling like he really does mean it. I scoot closer to him and wrap my arms around his waist. "I'm fine though, I promise. _Thank you._"

"What about the whole supernatural vampire thing, are you feeling fine about that?" He asks, running his fingers up and down my back. The sensation calms be down again and I relax against him.

"They're really vampires, huh?" I yawn, snuggling a little closer. "I guess I'm fine with that…I mean you said they wouldn't hurt me, right?"

"Nah, the Cullen's won't hurt you." He promises. "They only drink animal blood which is why they have those gold eyes." I had noticed the three of them and the woman who had greeted us at the door had piercing golden eyes. They had seemed very superhuman and I wondered if anyone else ever noticed that they seemed off.

"Are they mad you told me?" I wonder, tilting my head up to look at him. He shakes his head and carefully scoops me up in his arms before leaning against the headboard and positioning me in his lap. I notice he's very careful to avoid my upper arms.

"Of course not, I was going to tell you about vampires and the Cullen's anyway." Seth says. "I mean, I wasn't going to tell you_ like that_, but I wanted you to know."

"Really?" I ask. "Why?"

"I don't know if you really want to get into that…" He trails off.

"No, I want to know." I assure him. He studies me skeptically for a quiet minute before taking a deep breath.

"Well…because you're my imprint and I don't want to keep anything from you." He answers.

"Imprint?" I repeat. Dr. Cullen had said that word when we were in his kitchen. He had called it a connection if I was remembering correctly.

"You're my soulmate." He explains. I stay quiet for a couple minutes and I can tell Seth is tense. I stay in his lap though and his fingers trace patterns across my thigh.

"Are you…do you really mean that?" I finally ask but I know he does. I know he wouldn't say that if he didn't feel that way. My conversation with Brady at Jason Q.'s last week suddenly seems that much more important. He nods his head and I can tell he is assessing me and my reaction. "How can you be sure?"

"It's a Quileute thing." He answers. "I just know."

"Did you decide this tonight or…?" I question, trailing off.

"I knew from the first moment I first saw you on the beach." He explains. "And I feel it every time I look at you or when I'm away from you for a long time."

"I'm not sure if it's the same but I feel that connection to you too…" I admit shyly. I had never been good at talking about my feelings — probably because I didn't have many people to talk about them with and my mother had never been overly affectionate with me growing up.

"Really?" He asks. I nod my head and snuggle a little closer to him, pressing my face into his neck.

"Is the imprint something every Quileute has?" I wonder.

"No, not every Quileute imprints." He says. "There are a certain group of Quileutes who are considered protectors of the tribe and they can imprint on—"

"Um…" I trail off, interrupting him and feeling slightly overwhelmed. "Maybe I'm not ready to talk about all of this yet."

"That's okay." He says quickly. "We can talk about everything else whenever you want."

"Okay." I nod my head.

"Are you and I okay?" He asks and I finally look back up to his face. He looks worried. I hate that I've caused him to feel this way, especially after everything I put him through tonight.

"Of course we're okay." I respond, leaning up and pressing my lips to his. "I adore you too, ya know?"

"Yeah?" He asks, seeming a little surprised. Whether this imprint thing was a made up Quileute tradition or actually legit, it didn't change that I clearly felt a connection to Seth.

_"Yes."_ I promise. "Can we just go back to sleep?"

"Yeah, of course." He says, carefully shifting me off of him so I can lay back down. "Is it still okay with you if I stay here?"

"Yes." I respond, rolling my eyes and tugging his arms back around me as he lays down next to me.

* * *

When I wake up again, there is bright sunlight streaming in through the window and I know I have definitely missed my math test. I can't really find it in me to care — I didn't need calculus to work at a gas station or be a waitress or to do any other job I would be qualified for after high school. I open my eyes and yelp in surprise. Leah is sitting in the desk chair next to Seth's bed and staring at me.

"Thanks a lot, Lee's." Seth sighs from behind me. "I told you, you were going to wake her up."

"I didn't _do_ anything." Leah says, pushing her feet off the side of the desk and letting the chair spin in a circle. "How are you doing?" She finally asks when the chair stops again.

"I'm fine." I yawn, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes before pulling away from Seth to sit up. I was pretty sure, all things considered, I had never slept better in my life.

"Thanks a lot, Leah." Seth repeats, making a disappointed sound when I pull away.

"Hey, that's not very nice considering I didn't tell mom you had a girl in here _and_ I called you both out of school." She snaps.

"You called me out of school?" I question in surprise. I wasn't actually concerned about school. And even if they did call my mother, there was a greater chance she didn't have minutes on her phone and wouldn't be able to answer anyways. Even if she did answer, I was pretty sure she would just tell them I was sick — especially after last night.

"Mhm." Leah says. "I was hoping maybe Sethy would make us some breakfast." Seth groans again in annoyance and I prop my elbows up on his chest so he can see me smiling at him. His lips twitch and I can tell he isn't actually annoyed with his sister.

"Breakfast sounds good." I admit. The last time I had eaten had been my state provided turkey sandwich the day before and I was starving. Seth sighs again and remains laying down but winds an arm around my waist from where I'm kneeling next to him.

"How are your arms?" He murmurs.

"I'm fine." I answer automatically. He gives me a look and I smile sheepishly at him. "Maybe some Advil with some breakfast?" I suggest. He nods his head and yawns, releasing me and letting me climb off the bed. I spot my duffle bag sitting off to the side of his room and head over, grabbing my toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush.

"Down the hall on the left." He lets me know without me having to ask. I head down the hall and find the bathroom, trying to hold back the cringe at my reflection. My hair is a complete mess. I brush it carefully before pulling it into a ponytail. My scalp still feels tender but not as bad as it did a few hours ago. I go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, splash some water on my face, and almost walk into Seth when I exit the bathroom. "I'll be downstairs in a minute, okay?" He lets me know.

"Sounds good." I say, starting down the hall. "Is your mom—"

"She's at work." He interrupts. "Just me, you, and Leah."

"Okay." I nod my head. I could do that. I definitely didn't want to meet his mom like this and have to explain what happened and why I was in her son's bed last night. When I get downstairs, I find Leah already sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and looking at her phone.

"Coffee's still hot and mugs are in the cabinet above if you want some." She says.

"Thanks." I head over to the coffee pot and get a mug, filling it with coffee and heading over to sit across from her at the table.

"You know, you can stay here whenever you want." She says casually.

"Oh, that's okay, I am totally fine to—"

"My mom wouldn't care at all, really." She interrupts. "Or I can always cover for you guys if you don't want her knowing you're here. It's really fine."

"Thanks, Leah." I take a sip of the coffee. "And thanks for last night. Nothing like that has ever happened before though and it's not going to happen again so I really am okay."

"I just—" She sighs and I have a feeling she's been thinking about what to say to me all night. "Your important to Seth and you make him happier than I have ever seen him. If something happened to you…_well_…I'm just saying it's fine if you're here and we'd be happy if you were."

I nod my head but my throat feels tight so I can't answer her. This is exactly why my first thought last night had been to break up with Seth. It was incredibly selfish of me to let him care about me and invest his time in me if I was only going to hurt him. But I hadn't taken into account mind reading vampires when I had made that decision and I had promised Edward I wouldn't. No part of me _actually_ wanted to break up with Seth and the thought of not talking to him everyday and seeing him left a dull ache in my chest.

"I added my number in your phone last night and Jake's too." She says once she realizes I'm not going to say anything else. "So if you ever need anything you can call one of us."

"Thanks." I respond, staring down at my coffee. There's not anything else I _can_ say to that.

"So are we thinking eggs or pancakes?" Seth asks, walking into the kitchen. He drops a kiss on the top of my head and puts a bottle of Advil on the table in front of me.

"Both." Leah and I say at the same time. She shoots me a grin and I relax a little more.

* * *

I think about glue a lot.

Often times I feel like a lot of tiny pieces all broken up but stuck back together perfectly and held together by glue.

Sarah is my glue. She sticks me back together and holds me upright while she spins and spins, keeping me in her orbit. When I start to come apart she just keeps struggling to hold me up and keeps spinning, spinning, spinning as if the force alone is enough to keep me together.

Seth has become by glue too. He is more careful than Sarah. Once he sticks me back together he keeps his hands on me incase I fall apart again. When I start to crack slightly, he notices immediately and is already gluing me back together before I can fully break.

While Sarah seems to be confused when I break, Seth seems to expect it. And Seth wants to talk about it. And Seth wants to get to the root of the problem. And Seth wants to figure out a way that I don't need glue at all.

And Sarah...Sarah just spins and spins and spins.

Jacob is like glue too I realize. Not necessarily glue for me but glue for his friends. Anytime there is a problem or a frustration, no matter how minor, they turn to Jacob. He cleans up the pieces expertly and keeps everyone together by sheer strength alone. He orders everyone to not fall apart and they listen. His confidence is enough glue for most situations.

And...well...when my glue needs some backup or someone to drive the vehicle to a vampire's home at one-thirty in the morning…he's my glue too.

I wonder about glue a lot.

No one ever asks glue how it's doing or if it's tired of holding everyone and everything together. No one asks glue if it's worried about letting everyone down or worried about falling apart. Or if they are okay being the glue. Or if they want a break. Or if maybe they're a little melted and kind of falling apart too.

"Are _you_ okay, Seth?" I ask, angling my head up towards him. We're sitting on his couch, some show is playing in the background but neither of us are paying any attention. After breakfast, we had just migrated to the couch. I knew Seth wanted to talk and I had been patiently waiting for the conversation I knew was inevitable, but I figured maybe he needed a little help from me to start.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" He asks, quirking me a small smile.

"I think it's okay for me to ask you that as well." I tell him honestly, tracing shapes on his chest.

"As long as you're good, I'm good." He states. He sounds like he means it too. Glue looks a lot like stability in the right lighting.

"Even if I'm good, it's okay if your not." I say. "I can be the glue for a little while." He doesn't question my logic or where glue fits into this scenario but he nods his head slowly.

"I'm..." He trails off as of considering his next words. "I'm pissed and I wish I wasn't because I'm really not an angry person but I'm really fucking pissed."

"You can be pissed, Seth." I explain. "It doesn't change anything but you can be pissed."

"That's the point." He says frustratedly. "I can't handle not being able to change any of this and if I do...if I step in and change everything I'm mad about then I know it will be by force because you are not going to let me." He says the last part in a whisper.

"I _will_ be going back to that trailer, Seth, and nothing you do is going to change that." I let him know. "I have to stay there until I graduate...and then...I don't know. We'll see."

"Well then I guess I will never sleep again." He makes a frustrated noise and rakes a hand through his short hair. "Because _how the hell _am I supposed to sleep knowing you are in that trailer by yourself and anyone could come in and...and...and—" Seth doesn't finish his sentence but he doesn't need to.

"I survived for eighteen years without you and I've lived in trailer parks in places that are a hell of a lot worse than Forks." I explain. "You will be fine and I will be fine." Sometimes I have to be glue too. And maybe my glue is tough love.

"Can't you stay here." Seth pleads. I knew this was coming. As impractical and silly as it sounded for me to move in with Seth and his mom and sister, I knew Seth was going to at least ask.

"Yeah, your mom would love that." I respond, rolling my eyes.

"She wouldn't care!" He promises, hitting me with the most potent puppy dog eyes I have ever seen.

"I'm not moving into your mom's house." I respond but from the way he sighs, I know he already knows this. "I can hang out for today and then I need to go back to the trailer and I'm really, really sorry but I have to."

"I know." He mumbles, squeezing me a little tighter.

"So…me being your…_imprint_…does that mean you don't have a choice but to be with me?" I ask.

"Of course I have a choice." He says. "But I'm choosing to be with you."

"Okay, well if you decide you _don't_ want to be with me—"

"I'm not going to decide that."

"—Okay, well if you _do_, I just want you to know that's okay."

"Well, I'm not going to decide that." He reiterates, placing a kiss on my temple. "You're stuck with me, Sweetheart."

I was hardly _stuck with Seth._ We sit in silence for a little while longer before I finally speak again.

"Is it okay with you if I go shower and get changed?" I ask.

Glue always seems a little disappointed when you decide to use tape to hold yourself together instead.

"Yeah, of course." He responds, releasing me. I head back up the stairs to his room to get my clothes and showering supplies. I spot my phone in the top of the bag and it lights up with a text as soon as I take it out of the bag.

"Oh no." I say, unlocking the phone and looking at the long string of missed texts and phone calls. I dial Sarah's number immediately.

"Emma!" She half screams into the phone. "Are you okay!?" She sounds like she's about to start crying.

"I'm fine, Sarah, totally fine." I promise.

"Why haven't you been answering me?" She sobs into the phone.

"I'm at Seth's." I respond. "And my phone has been in my bag all night."

"You didn't show up at class so I was texting and calling you and Seth all morning." She continues. "But neither one of you were answering, so I drove to the trailer and it's completely unlocked and a _mess_ and—"

"You went _in_ the trailer?" I gasp. Sarah had never even stepped out of her car before in the trailer park. Picturing her standing in my sad excuse for a home makes my stomach churn.

"I didn't know if something happened to you!" She's still sniffling and I feel just awful. "Your bedroom door was smashed up and there was glass on the ground and blood on your sheets and…and…and…"

"Sarah, I'm so sorry." I breathe out. "I didn't even think to call you. I'm totally fine. My mom had friends over last night and it got out of hand. Seth came and got me so I didn't have to stay. And the blood is just from a small cut on my hand — no big deal."

"Are you downplaying what happened?" She asks. She knows me too well.

"I'm totally fine." I repeat. "I'll be back at school on Monday and we can hang out tomorrow maybe?"

"Can I talk to Seth?" She asks instead. I turn my head and sure enough Seth is leaning against the open door to his bedroom and I know he's just heard me stretch the truth on everything I told Sarah. He wordlessly holds out his hand to accept the phone.

"Okay." I sigh. "I'm going to go shower but you can talk to him."

"Okay, I'm glad you're okay." She says back.

"There's no point in making her more upset." I say quietly to Seth, handing over the phone. "She does so much for me."

"It's fine." He sighs. "Go shower."

I head into the bathroom with my stuff and turn the shower on. I had never heard Sarah so upset. I knew she cared about me of course but I really hadn't expected her reaction to me not being at school. And it had never even crossed my mind that she would be worried if I wasn't there or think something happened to me. I mean, something _did_ happen to me but I was totally fine. I never pictured her being so worried that she would go to the trailer park to find me and then _go inside _my trailer. I was not surprised in the slightest that my mom had gone somewhere and left the trailer completely open though — she had never been very responsible.

I remove the bandages from my hand, grimacing at the blood. I would have to have Seth help me put on a new bandage once I had showered. My arms don't look good but the Advil has taken the dull ache away which helps. I take the most relaxing shower since the water is warmer and the pressure is better than it could ever be at the trailer. It's more difficult to wash my hair with one hand since I don't want to get shampoo in my cuts but I manage. When I'm out of the shower, I braid my hair so it will dry neatly and change into leggings and a soft sweater. Once I've added a little bit of concealer and mascara, I feel more like myself and look much more presentable.

"Seth?" I call hesitantly from the top of the stairs.

"Down here." He calls back. I bring my bag downstairs with me and find him in the kitchen. My phone is sitting on the table.

"Is she okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, she just cares about you." Seth explains. He seems to notice the way I'm holding my hand. "Do you need help rebandaging your hand?"

"If you could."

"Of course." He says. The disinfectant, ointment, and bandages Dr. Cullen had provided are one the counter so I head over to him and lay my hand flat so we can work. "And then we can head back to the trailer. Collin and Jake are going to meet us there with supplies to fix the door and put on a new lock."

"They are?" I ask, feeling surprised.

"Yup, we're going to get the place all cleaned up." He explains.

Maybe needing glue wasn't the worst thing.

* * *

**Sorry for the wait on this one! I'm already working on the next chapter so I hope to have that up soon! I also have begun posting a Seth/Jessica story for anyone who is interested. I know it's a different pairing but if you like my writing and my storylines, I think you'll enjoy :)**


	8. Chapter 8

I could balance a pencil on my nose for three minutes and thirty-two seconds. At that point, I could probably continue longer but I usually just get so bored that I stop or my neck starts to hurt from holding it at that angle.

"You know," A smooth voice says, "You should really be paying more attention to your surroundings." I yelp in surprise and knock the pencil off my nose. It bounces off the counter and rolls under a display of gum. _Oh well, at least retrieving the pencil would be something to do_. Edward Cullen lets the front door to the gas station close behind him, somehow managing to hold it just right so it doesn't let out that god awful ding. I give him a weary look but decide he's probably not going to hurt me.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He rolls his eyes, "I _do not_ have a death wish."

"Can you really read my mind?" I ask.

"Yes." He confirms with a nod of his head.

"That's just really…" I trail off, not quite sure if I want to call a vampire weird.

"It is weird, it's okay." He shrugs.

"Um, what are you doing here?" I ask, walking around the counter and leaning down to pick up my pencil. He does make me uncomfortable but I'm not exactly nervous he's going to eat me, more so just nervous by his presence. And I wish Seth was here.

"Just getting gas." He says, leaning against the side of the counter and gesturing out the window towards a shiny silver vehicle that I know costs more than my trailer. "I felt it would be rude to not say hello and ask how you were doing."

"Oh, I'm fine, never better." I say, fidgeting with the bandaid on my hand. All things considered, I _was_ fine. I was a little stressed and currently wasn't speaking to my mom, but I was happy with Seth and I felt safe when he was near. My arms were sore but my hands were fine. I was fine.

"I actually _did_ want to talk with you." He says. I wonder what he could possibly want to talk with me about. I put the pencil back next to the register and lean against the counter next to him. "Seth is a good friend of mine and a few years ago he played a huge part in helping someone I care about. I know I said the other night that Seth's mind is very peaceful, and it is, but since he's met you he has a worry that plays over and over." He pauses and looks over his shoulder out the front window.

"What are you talking about?" I ask. I crane my neck to also look out the window but don't see anything.

"He's really worried you and your mom are going to pack up and leave Forks. And he's really worried you're going to do it without telling him." He says grimly. "I know you graduate in May and I'd like to help—"

"This is really fucking ridiculous." Collin growls, slamming open the front door and making me jump. The bell dings obnoxiously then snaps off all together, rolling across the store and under the same gum display that my pencil had gone under. He's barefoot and wearing just a pair of jeans and dripping rain. I stare at Collin in shock._ Boy is ripped_. Collin immediately inserts himself between Edward and I and pulls me behind him, keeping an arm wrapped around me.

"I gave a courtesy howl letting you know I was coming inside." Edward says, sounding annoyed. "She's in a Forks gas station and I'm getting gas in my car."

"Yeah, well, she's one of ours and you're lucky it was me patrolling and not Jake." Collin snaps. "Because _Jake_ might view this as a violation of the treaty."

"Well _obviously_ I knew who was patrolling before I came inside." Edwards sounds bored now. "And I am in no such violation. She is on _our_ territory and we were just talking."

"Well she's off limits when one of us isn't here." Collin says, "And you can tell the rest of your coven that too."

"Seth and I—" Edward starts.

"_Seth_ is not as lenient as you think and he doesn't take any chances with her so use that hundred year old brain of yours and _think_ before you trap an imprint in a gas station at two in the morning." Collin says.

"She's not trapped," Edward scoffs, "She's clocked in at work."

"Please don't fight." I whisper, pulling on Collin's hand until he lets me move slightly next to him. He's still angled to stand right in front of me but at least now I can see both of their faces and I feel like I am actually apart of the conversation. A slight tremor rolls through him and he doesn't remove his eyes from Edward. "We were _just_ talking."

Edward laughs suddenly, his eyes flickering to me.

"What?" Collin demands.

"She's confident that Jacob could take me but she's not quite sure about you." He explains.

"Emma!" Collin whines, turning his puppy dog eyes to me. "You think _I_ couldn't handle sparkle pants over here?"

"Well…I…"

"No." Edward answers for me, still laughing.

"I'm sorry!" I apologize, squeezing his hand. "I mean, thank you for busting in here and breaking the door and all but he already told me he wasn't going to eat me and you just seem like you're probably at the bottom of the…well…the…"

"Pack?" Edward supplies, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, yeah." I shrug.

"Emma, don't insult me in front of a leech." Collin frowns. "I am a very vicious—" He cuts off suddenly.

"A what?" I ask. "What are you?"

"I feel like you guys are kinda going backwards on things here." Edward says, openly grinning now. "First vampires then imprint and now…very vicious…you're definitely explaining things out of order."

"You've gotta talk to Seth about that." Collin sighs, ignoring Edward.

"But I'm asking _you_." I respond. Collin was standing half naked in a Forks' gas station picking a fight with a vampire when he should have been at home in bed. I wanted to know what he was.

"Seth has literally been waiting for you to be ready to talk about all of this for days." Collin shakes his head. "And _now_ you want to talk about it when he's finally sleeping for the first time since—"

"He hasn't been sleeping?" I whisper, feeling a pang of guilt wash through me. If Seth wasn't sleeping it was probably my fault.

"Emma." Collin sighs. He glances to Edward who shrugs.

"I think the truth is the best." Edward says, answering an unspoken question in Collin's mind.

"How _the hell_ is he supposed to sleep when all he can think about is you in that trailer and someone hurting you?" Collin says the words gently and I know he is trying not to upset me but my eyes fill up with tears anyway. "I promised him I'd watch you tonight so he could sleep and of course this _mother-fucking-leech_ shows up."

"I'm sorry." I whisper, wiping at my eyes. Collin tugs me closer and wraps his arms around me.

"You're fine…just maybe stay over his house this weekend or something? Give him a break from worrying?" He suggests. I nod my head into his chest.

"My mom hasn't had any friends over since that night if that helps." I offer, looking up at him. His face remains grim and I have a feeling that piece of information really doesn't matter to him or Seth.

"Okay," Collin says, turning his attention back to Edward, "I'm here now so if you want to talk then talk." He leans against the counter in a casual manner but keeps an arm tightly around me. He looks relaxed but I can feel from his muscles that he is tense. I want to know what Edward wanted to talk about but I don't really want to speak with Collin here. Mostly because I feel guilty about Seth worrying I am going to pack up and leave without telling him and I don't want Edward to give away that I have thought about doing exactly that. The first night back in the trailer after the incident, I had considered taking my duffle bag and my wolf charm, walking to the bus stop, and buying a ticket for the furthest destination I could find. Of course I hadn't actually gone through with it but I had debated on it for a good hour.

"We can speak another time." Edward says, "It's not like you're going anywhere."

"Okay." I nod my head and wonder if that is a threat. A threat that if I try to leave Seth he will come and find me and maybe not be so friendly.

"Not a threat." Edward says with a sharp shake of his head. Collin tenses at the word threat but doesn't move any closer. "Just a reminder."

"Okay." I repeat.

"But I would…" He trails off and I know it's so Collin doesn't freak. _Find me?_ I think. He nods his head in confirmation. "I told you, Seth has been very kind to my family and me. I would do anything to help him and the people he cares about."

"Like you said," I shrug, "I'm not going anywhere."

"What was _that_ about?" Collin asks once Edward has left the gas station and gotten back into his shiny car. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Nothing." I shake my head. "I don't even really know what he wanted to talk to me about. He cut off when you barged in."

"Yeah…" Collin trails off for a moment and removes his hands from me. "Sorry about the door."

"It's okay." I roll my eyes, walking over to the gum display and kicking the bell out from under the shelf. "Now at least I have something to do for the next four hours."

"You good if I go?" He asks. "Embry's outside and I told him to let me handle this first but just incase he told Jake I gotta go do some damage control before he starts world war three with the vamps."

"Embry's here?" I ask in surprise, craning my neck. "I don't understand."

"Talk to Seth if you're ready to." He shrugs, then turns around and walks out the door.

* * *

**Sorry this is a tad shorter of a chapter...and that there is no Seth. I loved this scene and wrote it early on but didn't feel like it really fit with what I have written for the next chapter so I decided to break it up into two parts. And who doesn't love some Collin? I am almost done with that next chapter though so it should be up within the week. Many thanks for everyone's kind reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

Days at school without Sarah were torture and I didn't feel like that was a dramatic statement. I liked learning, I really did. But I wasn't going to be using my high school degree for anything and I wasn't going to college so I really didn't have any reason to be in school. My only motivation for going to school was that I didn't want to be the girl in the trailer park that dropped out of high school. I know Sarah was likely just playing hooky but days at Forks High School without her seemed even longer than normal.

While I had been kind of lonely all day with my limited — _friendly_ — interactions, it hadn't been until my Genetics class that things were actually bad. Normally Sarah was in this class and sat next to me but, without her, I was alone. And also subject to the snarky comments from her friends.

"Hey, Emma, I heard you're screwing both that Seth kid _and_ Collin which is why Collin decided he wasn't interested in Veronica." I spin my head to give Veronica a hard glare even though it's Alyssa who has said the insult. Veronica flushes under my gaze but doesn't say anything. She knows Collin's not interested in her because of how she treated me but of course she would never tell her friends _that_. I turn back around and ignore both of them, trying to take notes and pay attention to Mr. Pennington.

"Do they know you're trailer trash? Have you told them?" Veronica asks when I don't retaliate on the first comment. Jason M. snickers quietly but pretends to be enthralled in the powerpoint slide when I look over at him. It really didn't matter how many times Sarah or Seth said that I wasn't trailer trash and that they didn't care where I lived, when someone else brought it up, it always felt like a punch to the gut.

"Collin doesn't like you because you're a _bitch_." I whisper back to her, "Nothing to do with me." I can see Jill three desks over, craning her head to look with a worried expression on her face. I don't have anyone to defend me on this side of the room. The only people who might defend me to Veronica are Jill and Lily. But Lily is in a different class and Jill can't even hear what they're saying.

"When will you be moving?" Alyssa asks. "And what do we have to do to get your landlord to kick you out of that trailer home so you can go back to whatever park you came from?" Bringing up the trailer always made me anxious and, from the expression on both their faces they know that. Jason A. glances over at the three of us uncomfortably then shifts his body to be angled away. He doesn't want to be involved.

I don't blame him.

"We graduate in six months." I shake my head at the two of them. "I really don't get what your problem is."

"_You're_ our problem." Veronica hisses, leaning forward on her desk. "You came here and infiltrated Sarah's life and forced your way into _everything_."

And there it was.

All roads eventually lead back to Sarah.

"I didn't force my way into anything." I snap, "Just because Sarah chose _me_—"

"Ladies!" Mr. Pennington calls, making the three of us snap our heads back to him. "I'm sure you're discussing the fact that this will be on the test next week but perhaps you can finish the conversation_ after class._"

I'm grateful for the interruption and, as soon as class is over, I rush out of the room.

"Emma—" I hear Jill call but I was _not_ about to get trapped with Alyssa and Veronica. I make it all the way to my locker and am just spinning the combination when Veronica smacks my books out of my hand. Two of them fall right at my feet and one of them slides across the hallway.

"I wasn't done talking with you." Veronica says. "I just want to make sure you're aware that you're trash and no one likes you and—"

"Hey, Veronica." A voice says besides me. "Back the fuck off and get to English class." She jumps in surprise and narrows her eyes at me but walks off with Alyssa in tow. I finish spinning my locker combination and open the door, trying to give myself a few seconds to compose myself before turning to face Jason C. I hadn't even considered that he would be someone who would stand up to Veronica. He's giving me a small smile and holds out my three books. "You okay?" He asks. I nod my head and take the books from him, sliding them into my locker and shutting the door. I've already decided I'm skipping my next class. Alyssa is in that class and I don't think I can handle her saying anything else to me.

"Thanks, Jason." I whisper. He frowns and I can tell from the expression on his face that I must look like I'm about to cry. I blink my eyes quickly trying to get rid of the tears and turn to walk down the hall and outside the school. I don't even realize he's followed me until I am outside.

"She's just a bully, you know that, right?" He says. "You don't actually believe anything she says, right?" I lean against the side of the school and shrug.

"Thanks for saying something to her." I say, feeling the need to show my appreciation again. "No one ever does."

"Are you skipping last period?" He asks and I nod my head. "I have a free, I'll bring you home."

"Oh, you don't have to…" I say, trying to imagine him standing in front of my trailer and just feeling sick to my stomach.

"Or I can bring you somewhere else?" He suggests, raising he eyebrows at me. "I can bring you to La Push to see your boyfriend?" Going to see Seth is exactly what I want to do and, I know if I text him, he'll come get me. But I don't want to panic him and I don't want him to cut class because of me.

"You really don't have to." I shake my head. "I can just walk home."

"It's, like, twenty degrees out, Emma." Jason shakes his head at me. "I promise I'm not hitting on you, Jason Q. and I are two different Jason's."

"I know you're different." I grin at him, feeling a little bit better than I had a half hour ago. "You'd really bring me to La Push?"

"Of course." He rolls his eyes and leads me over to his car. He cranks the heat once we get in and I rub my hands in front of the heating vents.

"You can just bring me to the High School." I sigh, leaning back in the seat. "Thanks, really, I mean it."

"What happened to your hand?" He asks. I still had the large white bandage plastered on my left palm. It didn't hurt quite as much as it had a few days ago and now it was mostly just itchy. My arms were a different story...they ached painfully.

"Glass." I sigh in explanation.

"Like you cut yourself on glass or…?"

"Like my mom had friends over and it got out of hand." I explain quietly.

"It's really loud in that trailer park, huh?" He says suddenly. He's right but I give him a questioning look anyways. "I live in the neighborhood behind Marietta Courts and sometimes, in the Summer, when I have my windows open, I can hear the yelling and music and just….noise."

"Yeah, it's really loud and sometimes…well, sometimes there's glass." I murmur, playing with the bandaid. We're quiet for another few minutes. I know he clearly pities me. _Poor, Emma, can't stand up for herself and lives in a loud trailer park. _

"I know you have Sarah and Seth and Collin and Brady and probably all those other guys on the Rez that they're friends with but if you ever need someone else in Forks, you can always call me." He finally says. "I'd always help you out."

"Why are you being nice to me?" I ask, feeling suspicious. Or maybe I'm just paranoid.

"You're a nice person, Emma." He shakes his head. "And I don't consider myself _that_ bad of a guy." When I don't say anything, he sighs then hesitantly continues. "You're the only person who calls me Jason. _Just Jason_. Even Angie's brother's, Issac and Josh, call me Jason C. now and they're only freshmen. I can't wait to go to college and just be Jason…or maybe I'll go by Jase, I haven't decided." I sigh and pick up Jason's phone from the cupholder, adding my number in then texting myself so I'll have his number.  
"If you give my number to Jason Q., I'm gonna kill you." I warn.

"I wouldn't. And, besides, I think Seth scared him a little." Jason laughs. "You shoulda seen him after you and Seth disappeared at the party. He was asking everyone if they thought you guys were serious or in an open relationship or were going to break up. I really thought Collin was going to punch him."

"How embarrassing." I groan, "He doesn't even really like me, does he?"

"He's been in love with you since the day you walked into home room. You're the only one who hasn't seen that." He explains.

"He's not even that _nice_ to me." I frown. Jason Q. had never been mean to me or agreed with anyone else who was being mean but he'd never been overly friendly either.

"Yeah, he's a idiot, I don't know what to tell you." Jason grins at me and signals to pull into the La Push High school parking lot. There aren't many cars in the lot and I figure most the students probably walk to and from the school or are dropped off by their parents. Seth's mom's sedan isn't there but I spot Collin's red SUV.

"You can drop me off there." I say, pointing to the car.

"I can wait until school gets out if you'd like." He offers.

"Nah, it's okay, he'll be out in about five minutes." I shake my head, looking at the time on my phone. "But thank you so much, I really appreciate it."

"Okay, Emma." Jason smiles then says what I am clearly thinking, "Hopefully Sarah's back tomorrow." I get out of the car and wave goodbye before leaning against the front of Collin's car. I could have texted Seth right away but I knew he would have freaked out and left school early to come get me. I only have to wait a few minutes before students start filing out of the building. Collin is the first one out of the school building that I know and he spots me immediately.

"Hey!" He calls, jogging towards me, "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the area." I shrug. He grins and leans against the car next to me, throwing his arm around my shoulder and pulling me to his side.

"You know Seth's gonna freak when he sees you standing outside in the cold, right?" He says.

"No he's not." I respond, snuggling into his side. It really is cold and Collin, like Seth, is abnormally warm. Seth comes out of the school next and makes a beeline to me, a questioning look on his face. I struggle to pull myself from Collin's grasp so I can go over to him but Collin doesn't budge. Seth glares at Collin when he doesn't let me go.

"The imprints love me the most." Collin shrugs. "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them." For a split second I feel rattled at Collin using the word Seth had used to describe me so casually but neither one of them appears to notice. Collin had used it last night at the gas station when speaking to Edward but, here, in this setting, it feels more real.

"_Actually_, you don't have anything to do with the rules and most of them are in place because you've fucked up at something." Brady says, coming around from the other side of the car and hitting Collin in the head. He ducks and loosens his grip on me just enough that Seth is able to grab my hand and pull me to his chest. I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his shirt.

"What's wrong?" He asks quietly, running his hands up and down my back. "What happened?" I shake my head, not even really wanting to tell him.

"Ah, shit," Collin sighs, "I didn't realize you were upset, I wasn't trying to be an asshole."

"I'm fine." I mumble against Seth's chest. And I do feel a lot better. Talking with Jason helped and now, just being wrapped in Seth's arms, I feel a thousand times better.

"Of course she's upset." Seth snaps at Collin. "She doesn't even have a car and somehow got to La Push."

"Jason dropped me off." I answer. "Jason C."

"Did you skip class?" Seth asks when I pull my head back from his chest. I nod my head.

"Just...one of those days..." I answer. "I'm sorry, I should have texted you first. Can you even hang out? It's okay if you can't."

"Yes, I can hang out. Of course I can." He tucks my hair behind my ears and kisses my forehead. "Do you want to walk back to my place or have Collin drop us off?"

"Can we walk?" I ask. I loved Collin and Brady but I really just wanted to be alone with Seth right now. We say our goodbyes and Seth wraps an arm around me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks once we are finally alone and walking along the side of the road towards his house.

"Sarah was out today." I explain. "And some of her friends are just really nasty."

"Well we can always transfer you to the Rez school." Seth says hopefully, grinning down at me.

"You would love that, huh?" I ask, rolling my eyes.

"Mhm."

"Well, I'm not doing that." I respond. "I'm not running away from them...well, except today."

"You don't have to tell me what they said if you don't want to but I'll always listen to you if you do want to talk about it." He offers.

"I don't really want to talk about it but…one of the things they said…" I trail off. "You know nothing is going on between Collin and I, right? Like I know sometimes we're a little flirty but I'm not interested in him like that and I would _never_—"

"Of course I know that." Seth shakes his head. "Collin is like my brother and I like that you are close with him. I know you don't like Collin _like that_ and Collin wouldn't do that to me."

"I really do like him and Brady." I say. "I mean, I like all of your friends, but I really like them."

"You're the closest imprint to their rank." Seth says hesitantly as we enter his home. He drops his bag by the door and we both kick off our sneakers. "It makes sense that they would gravitate towards you."

"Oh." I respond, not even really sure what to say to that. We head over to the couch while I think about that. I sit down on one side but Seth stretches out and rests his head in my lap. I smile down at him and begin playing with his hair, twisting the short pieces in my fingers. Thinking about vampires and imprints overwhelmed me but I didn't think it sounded like the worst thing. Seth was still Seth and we were still the same as we had been.

"Col told me about the gas station last night." Seth hesitantly says. "And I don't know if you actually are ready to talk about any of this stuff or not but if you are, it would probably help a lot of things make sense…" He trails off, giving me the option.

"Seth." I sigh. "I guess I don't really care because you're still the same person I know…but what are you?"

"I'm a shape shifting wolf." Seth explains. I'm not surprised and when he says the words it really all clicks into place. I'm pretty sure I knew all along too.

"Okay." I say slowly, processing. We stay quiet for a few more minutes. I try to picture Seth and Collin and the rest of them as anything other than the guys I have grown to love and fail.

"Okay?" Seth repeats and I glance back down at him from where he's laying against me. He looks very nervous.

"So I guess Edward really was right that you're a pack." I answer. I don't know why that's my first thought but it is. He blinks a few times in surprise and then cracks a smile.

"Do you wanna see…?"

"Umm…no…no thanks, I believe you but I don't think I need to see you…turn into…um…that." I stutter through the sentence but in the end Seth is just left grinning up at me. "Did you _really_ think I was going to freak out?"

"Uh, yeah, one hundred percent." He admits.

"Well, I feel like I've had over a week to accept the fact that vampires exist and that I met a few of them." I explain. "And obviously you and Collin and Brady and everyone else are _something_ so the wolf thing makes sense to me."

"You're amazing." He mumbles, lifting his head off my lap to be closer to me and reaching a hand up to cup my cheek. I slip my tongue into his mouth as soon as our lips touch. I had seen Seth everyday since_ the_ _incident_ — even if for only a few minutes to say hello — but he had been more than careful with me and I hated it. Part of me was worried that he was no longer attracted to me or that the bruises on my arms were too much for him to handle. But the way he's kissing me now makes me put those fears aside. I am just trailing my hand down the front of his chest when he pulls back suddenly and sits up so he's next to me.

_"Seth."_ I complain, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice but I know I fail.

"My mom just pulled up." He says quickly in explanation. "I want to continue, _really_, but…"

"Oh, fuck." I mutter, running my hand through my hair and hoping I don't look like we've been fooling around. I leap up from the couch on instinct, standing in front of him.

"What are you _doing_?" He asks, grinning at me and remaining seated on the couch.

"I don't know." I admit. "I don't want her to think we were…"

"We were what?" He asks, raising his eyebrows. I blush and he finally takes pity on me and laughs. "Oh, come here." He loops an arm around my waist and tugs me back down to the couch and against his side. "She knows you're my girlfriend, she doesn't expect us to be standing on opposite sides of the room."

"Right." I nod my head but I do feel better with the knowledge that she at least knows about me. I had thought Seth had probably told his mom about us but he hadn't brought up meeting her and I hadn't asked. I didn't want to just assume he had told her about me. The front door opens and a short woman with brown hair pulled into a twist comes into the room.

"Hi Seth." She says, tugging her arms out of her jacket while still balancing her purse. "How was school? How'd the math test— oh, _hi!_" Mrs. Clearwater seems to realize I'm there once her jacket is hung up. At least she looks happy to see me which makes me feel a little more comfortable.

Adults always made me nervous — probably because I didn't really consider my mother an adult so I didn't really have much practice with how to talk to them. I had mastered speaking with teachers regarding school work and I was pretty good at speaking with bosses. I had worked at a few restaurants in the past few years and a few convenience stores so I had to converse with adults in those situations, though not as often as I would have thought. I hadn't personally seen my boss at the gas station in months. As far as adults go, I was most comfortable around Linda Adams. But it was easier to just pretend that Sarah's mom was my own for the few minutes we would speak — or at least pretend she was the mom I always wanted. Speaking with the mom of a boyfriend though? I had no idea how I was supposed to act or what I was supposed to say. _What if she didn't like me?_

"Hey mom, this is—"

"Emma, of course!" Mrs. Clearwater says, finishing Seth's sentence and clasping her hands together in excitement.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Clearwater." I say shyly, standing up from the couch now that Seth has loosened his grip on me.

"Call me Sue." She insists coming over to me and surprising me by cupping my cheeks in her hands. "You are _beautiful_."

"Mom!" Seth whines, sounding embarrassed.

"What?" She asks, removing her hands from my face but wrapping an arm around me instead and leading me to the kitchen. "I have been asking to meet her for a month and you wouldn't bring her by." She gives Seth a disapproving look before turning back to me with a huge smile on her face. "Do you want to stay for dinner? You're staying for dinner."

"Okay." I agree, even though she's made my decision for me.

"I just want you to know, you are welcome here whenever you want." She says earnestly.

"Thank you, Sue." I smile at her.

* * *

**Thanks for all the reviews on this story! You all are wonderful!**


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